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REYNOLDS   HISTORICAL 
GENEALOGY  COLLECTION 


ALLEN  COUNTY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


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The  Stor}^ 

of 

Oklahoma  City 

Oklahoma 


The  Biggest  hittle  City  in  the  Wor/cf 


Written  and  Edited  by 

W.  F.  KERR 

Of  the  Oklahomn  Historical  Society 
A  N  f) 

IN  A  GAINER 

Of  The  Oklahoma  City  Times  Editoiia'  Force 


VOLUME  I 


1922 

THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


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t'ff^ 


17^6997 


CONTENTS 

PART   [ 
RELEVANT  AP['];(~)ACIIES 

PAGE 

Them  Halcyon  Days,  Dr.  A.  C.  Srott 13 

Introdiii'tory    15 

A  Cottage  for  Two 33 

The  Founding  of  Oklalioiiia   City 61 

PART   II                                           ....  ;>.;. 

THE  SPREAD  OF  THE  YEARS  '"•'■■• 

The  Lot  Jumpers 81 

Goveniment  Established    99 

The  Second  Opcniui:- 121 

Boomers  Active  A;;ain 133 

Dream  of  a  ComniDUweallh 141 

Tlie  Active  Ten  Thousand 151 

Choctaw  Railroad  Enters 161 

Fusion  and  Free  Silver 169 

The  Seekers  of  Pie 179 

On  Trail  of  the  Volunteer^ 1S9 

Council  Versus  Coneress 201 

Franchises  and  Bond  Sales 211 

Oil  and   Another  Openin;;- 221 

^lore  Business.  Less  Soeiet.v 229 

In  Earnest  About  Statehood 241 

In  Bib  and  Turker  at  St.  Louis 253 

Sidcsteppiiip-  an  I,s.sne 263 

A  Gold  Pen  and  a  (,>uill 273 

Politics,   Pre.judiees   and   Victory 2.^3 

New  Jerusalem   Apjunved 303 

Coniins-  of  the  Packers 313 

The  Capital  Achieved :'>29 

A  Charter  Adopted   345 

A  Fi-ht  Ap:ainst   Exi.euses ;i59 

A  Preaeher's  Farew<41 373 

The  Central  Hundred 389 

Passini,'  of  Pioneers 403 

The  Food  Strikers 415 

The  City  Goes  to  War ; 427 

Helpin-  to  Win  the  War 445 

Prosperity  and  Hi'.:h  I'li-es 465 

The  Results  of  War 479 

Tidliig   Over 491 


7Hi^iiS: 


.A 


<;  •.Hii':.-    ^ 


VI  COXTEXTS 

PART  III 
RESU-Mf:S,  REVIEWS  AXD  (OXTRIBUTIOXS  p^^^^. 

The  Old  Home  Town 509 

Development  of  Social  and  Club  Life,  by  Irene  Bowers  Sells 523 

The  Fight  for  the  Capital ." 517 

Schools  of  Eighty-Xine  and  Tlicir  Development,  by  Jlrs.  Fred  Sutton.  559 

Vision,  Leadership  and  Faith,  l)y  William  yi.  Jenkins 569 

Oklahoma  City's  Part  in  the  World  War,  by  Gen.  Roy  V.  Ilotfman. .  573 

A  Tribute  to  Oldahoma,  by  Sidney  Clarke 583 

Making  Beauty  Spots,  by  C.  A.  :\IeXabb 587 

Captain  Couch,  First  Mayor,  by  H.  C.  Evans 601 

Character  of  C.  G.  Jones,  by  0.  P.  Sturm 605 

Character  of  Henry  Overholser,  by  Elmer  E.  Brown 615 

Seniinoles  and  Colonists,  by  J.  L.  Brown 625 

Articles  of  Confederation 635 

^Milling  and  Grain 641 

Business  Women  "s  Club 647 

City  an  Oil  Center 651 

Gas  and  Electricity 667 

The  Telephone  Business GG9 

Lot  Titles  Investigated 675 

PART  IV 

IX  MEX's  :«i e:\iories 

A  Propitious  ilonday 679 

In  Camp  Oklahoma 6S7 

A  Pioneer's  Recollections 689 

The  Oklahoma  City  Club 699 

Bill  Starts  a  Graveyard 703 

Colcord  Has  an  Idea 709 

Pioneering  in  Journalism   711 

Hanging  Pants  and  Sdug  I'auts 713 

A  Rushing  Bread  JUi^iness 715 

"A  Bad  ilan  from  Texas" 717 

A  Lot  Jumper  Wins 719 

Snaking  Houses  at  Xight 721 

For  Better  or  Worst 723 

"Tails  Up"  Wins  a  Bride 725 

iledical   Society   Formed 727 

The  First  Xewspaper 729 

The  Post  Trader's  House 731 

.    •  PART  V  '  •  ^:;: 

MISCELLAXEOCS 

The  City's  Cunsfitntion 735 

The  Organic  Act 781 

First  Opening  Proclamation 823 

Oklahoma  Enabling  Act 831 


7/ ■•; 


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ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

W.  F.  Kerr Froiifispirrr 

Former  Presidents  of  the  Chamber  (if  Commerce 17 

Residenee  of  E.  H.  Cot.ke •?'> 

Resideutial  Street 2.) 

Oklahoma  City's  First  Settlers ;3o 

Orisinal  Site  of  Oklahoma   City 41 

A  Group  of  Pioneers 47 

Two  and  a  Beauty  Spot 55 

Where  tlie  Kaneh  Stoek  Watered 55 

Group  of  Pioneers (i3 

Early  Settlers   (57 

Captain  W.  L.  Coucli 71 

First  Post  Office  of  Ok'aliuuia 75 

Oklahoma  City  in  1SS!I,  I^efore  the  Run 8o 

Oklahoma  City  on  April  24,  18S9 S:? 

Dr.  A.  J.  Beaie S9 

View  of  Oklahoma  City  in  18S!l 95 

Captain  A.  B.  Hammer KU 

Present  Site  of  Culbei-tson  Buildinp:.  Broadway  and  Grand  Avenue.  .  lOI) 

D.  W.  Gibbs 117 

American  National  Bank  Bui'dinix 12;{ 

Home  of  the  Daily  Oklahoman 123 

W.  J.  Gault 135 

O.  A.  Mitseher 1>^9 

Leslie  P.  Ross 145 

Frank  MeiMaster 150 

Nelson  Button  153 

ilaiu   Street.  Oklahoma   City,   1889 157 

Captain  E,  H.  DeFord 1G3 

Charles  G.  Jones 171 

J.  P.  Allen 181 

Riehard  CatTrey 191 

Wlieeler  Park 197 

Lee  VanWinkle 203 

Clifton  George 207 

First  Naticmal  Bank  liuildin- 215 

Seetional  Vi^w  of  St.  Antluuiy's  Ibispital 225 

State  I'niviTsity    lIosi)ital 225 

The  Baum  Buildin- 235 


5!T8UJJI 


.■.:;• -111/.     A 


ILLUSTKATKJXS 


The  Continental  r.uildin- 2:?5 

Farmers  National  Bank 24.3 

First  :\Iethodist   Clnuvli I'or) 

Oldalioma   City   (iolf  and   Country   Ciuli 2r):> 

Dr.   J.    F.    :\I."s^enl.au-h 2(i5 

Oklalionia    County    Courtliouse    and   -lai' 27.5 

Henry  :\I.  Scali's 28.') 

St.   Luke's  M.   E.    Clunvh.    South 201 

Federal  Huildiu>r   297 

View  at  State  Fair  Park 297 

First   Presbyterian   Cliureli 30.') 

Former  Oeeupants  of  the  ( '«\v„vd  liuildiu-  Site 30.j 

Entrance  to  the  Oklahoma  Xatimial  Sioi-k  Yards 31.5 

Pens  at  the  Oklahoma  National  Stoek  Yards 315 

Temple  B'nai  Israel 323 

Packing:  Plant  of  Mnrris  ^;   Company 323 

Daniel  V.  Lackey 331 

:Main  Street  of  the  Huiiuy  Days 335 

Brcadway.   L(M!kinL:-   North.   191() 341 

Whit  :\I.  Grant 347 

Central  Ili-h  Sehool 351 

Carnegie  Lil)rary    355 

Iluckins  Hotel 355 

:\Iay\vood  Preshyteriau  ( 'hurrl, 3(il 

First  Baptist   Ciiun-h 3(i7 

Residence  of  ^V.  R.  Ramse.v 3fi7 

First    Ensiish    Lutheran   Cliurch 375 

First  Christian  Clnuvli 375 

Skirvin   Hotel    381 

Oklahoma    State    Capitol 388 

First  Week  between  California  and  Crand  Aveiui.-s 391 

View  of  Skyscrapers  from  Ihe  Wholesale  Disti-i.-t 395 

Residence  of  C.  F.  ( 'olrord 399 

Residence   of   11.    ()verh..ls,r 399 

Edward  Ovcrhol>er 405 

Epworth  :\Iethodist  CiMUvh    lOri-inally  Kpwoith   Ciiiversity  > 411 

Residence  of  C.   P.   Sito 417 

Mercantile    Buildin-    429 

Security   Buiidin-    ; 429 

Catholic  Chureh 439 

Byron   D.  Shear 447 

View  on  Crand  Avrnue  Lookiu-  Ka^r  from  Tmuinal  Buildin-    453 

Lakeside  (iolf  and  ( 'ountry  Chib    459 

J.  C.  Walton   467 

Salvation    Army    Home 473 

Broadway,    Lookin-   N<Mlh.    in    l!i21 481 

Y.    :\I.   C.   A.    Buildiii- 487 


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'    ••vi.'iis^; 


ILLUSTRATIOXS  ix - 

PAGi; 

Home  of  Oldalinma  City  Club   ( Ercrtidii  hemiu  in  l!»:il') 493 

Main  Street  of  an  Early  Day 511 

Business  District  from  au  Airplane 517 

Cheyennes  and  Arapalir^  C'lJiinseliii^-  t'^r  Cherokee  Outlet 525 

CTiiefs  of   Ciieyeuues  and  Arapahos 5:?:5 

Tradesmen's  National  Bank  Buildin;.' 543 

Gloyd-IIalliburton  Buildin<:' 558 

Liberty   National    P.ank   Buildin- 563 

The  Guaranty  Bank    563 

Gen.   Roy   V.    ILitl'man 575 

O'Neil  Park • 58!) 

Stiles   Park    593 

Residence  of  Gen.  Roy  V.  Iloft'man 593 

Entrance  to  Wlieeler  Park 597 

St.    Paul's  Episcopal   Chuivli 6(37 

Patterson  Building 617 

Santa  Fe  Depot  the  i[orning  after  the  Run 627 

An  Early  Day  View 627 

(irain  Exchange  Building;- 640 

Plant  of  Oklahcma  City  Mill  and  Elevator  Company ()4:! 

Plant   of  the  Plansifter   Milling   Company 643 

ilagnolia   Petroleum   Company  Building 653 

Scene  in  Oil  Refining   District 659 

Section  of  Refining  Plant  of  Choate  Oil  Corp(u-ati(in 659 

Home  of  the  Oklahoma  Gas  iS:  Electric  Company 666 

Home  of  Soutlnvest(>rn  Bc!l  T<'!ephune  Company 671 

The  Morning  before  the  Pum 6S1 

Captain  D.  F.  Stiles 6'^6 

H.  C.  AVatton 695 

Plant   of  Liberty   Cotton  Oil   Company 705 

West  :Main  iMatiM-nily  .Sanitarium 737 

Terminal  Buildinu'  nf  the  Oklahoma   Raih\a\'   Compan\- 7-^5 

^Masonic  Temi)lc    755 

The   Coliseum    755 

Home  of  Ilahn   Cndcrtaking   Company 765 

.Mount  Saint  Mary's  Academy 775 

Classen  -Junior   lli-h  School 775 

Security  National  Bank 7S5 

Empress  Theater [ 795 

<  Irplieum  Theater 795 

Second  Presbyterian  ( •hurch 805 

Christian   Science   Church 805 

:^[onumfnt  to  S..ldicr   Dcail,  Fairlawn  Cemetery 813 

Colcrd   Puildinir 825 

Herskowitz   IJnildini:-   825 

Southwest  National  Bank  Buildin- 833 

Libertv  Theater    843 


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.    .■•:;,   j.'.y.    L'm;    ••  :,. 


U    M-^n  tr. 


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X/-'V/ 


PART  I 

RELEVANT   APPROACHES 


i.  _/■■  r>. 


:«4  A 


The  Story  of  Oklahoma  City 

-THEM  IIALVCOX  DAYS"  j 

•     By  a.  C.  Scott  ■: .  .„■ ,,  j 

When'ei'  I  think  (if  'SD,  its  halcyon  days  around  ine  shine;  '  '  I 

its  days  of  spriny  divinely  fair,  its  days  when  sand  drifts  '        _  ■ 

filled  the  air;  its  days  so  Jiot  the  hair  they'd  curl,  its  days  so  ; 
cold  the   snow   wi.uld   whirl,   stinying  against   the   window 
panes,  and  freezing  on  the  icy  plains;  days  when  the  sand 

filled  ^lain  street  full,  and  days  when  'Shun  street  was  a  pool :  '     ■  • 

days  and  days  of  everv  kind,  that  nowhere  else  on  earth  youM  ; 

find.  "  "  "  I 

But  Avliat  did  we  for  weather  eare  ?    AVe  all  were  young,  | 

the  world  was  fair;  something  would  happen  every  day.  and  I 

not  in  just  the  usual  way.     What  Ijooted  it  that   lots  were  1. 

juni])ed.  and  in  tlie  fra'-as  sonic  one  humped:  that  Seminole  ; 

and    Kiekapoo    kept    hell    a-poppi^^"    '^h    night    through.^  ' 

Throughout  it  all  we  sang  and  danced,  and  Sunda.\'s  to  the  > 

AVeaver  pranced,  ostensihly  of  course  to  dine,  l>ut  in  i-eality  i 

to  shine,  in  raiment  e\'([uisitely  new.  to  let  the  proletariat  j 

view — the  ladies  dei-ked  from  top  to  toe   (nuich  more  than  ■ 

they  are  novi-.  1  trowi,  in  silks  and  satins,  luiseeu  hose,  the  | 

men  all  moulded  iu  their  clothes.  '■ 

To   ice  cream  socials,   too.  we  went,  to  that  extreme  ou                       •  ; 
lileasure  hent ;  tliough  chaperoned  with  eagle  e^'es.  lo\-e  "car- 
ried on"  with  small  disguise,  and  many  a  mari'iage  altar  tine.  ; 
was  just  a  dream  of  Kightx-Xiiie.     And  wlio'll   forget  those  ■ 
autunui  days,  all  shrouded  iu  their  }iui-}ile  haze,  as  if  all  na-  , 
ture's  course  stood  still,  to  put  away  the  coming  ill  :'     Hut  '; 
when  grim  A\'inter  <-ame  at   last,  fast  riiling  ou   his  l.oi'cati 
blast,  our  fiimsy  shacks  shook  in  the  gale,  the  ho\viiug  wiii<ls  ; 
drove  sleet  and  hail,     hhit  did  we  whine.  "V  knock.  <'V  wail  ^          '  ,  ; 
AVe  toolc  th<'  hammer  and  tiie  nail,  and  hoai'ded  up  tlie  shrielv- 
ing  ci-acks,  and  iiai>ered  the  inside  with  tack>. 

And  while  the  winter  rijiped  and  roared,  we  served  uimiu 
13 


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1-4  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  LlTV 

our  festal  board  such  dainties  ami  sudi  viands  rare  tliat  lords 
might  euvy  us  our  fare.  Oh,  who'll  foi-uet  those  wondrous 
eats — the  market  plaees  on  our  streets  with  long  tVstoons  of 
luscious  quail,  or  prairie  ehicks  and  rotton  tail,  of  s(iuirrels 
gray  and  S(|uirrels  red.  of  mallards  dropped  from  overhead: 
of  pinioned  deer  with  spreading  fronds,  of  turkey  gol)hlers 
bathed  in  lu'unze — not  them  that  strutted  Itarnyard  floors,  hut 
lived  in  nature's  out-id'-doors  I  Oh.  well.  I  reekon  it  is  best, 
that  wcVc  outgrown  that  far-off  West;  l)Ut  sometimes  when 
I'm  tired  and  bored,  nui  down  by  auto  and  by  Ford.  I  take 
a  backward  look  and  say.  as  one  did  say  who's  gone  his  wa}-, 
'"Of  all  the  times  I've  ever  seed,  them  was  the  halycon  days 
indeed." 


■!'*,»..;..      .1,:    i     -I         1  ."■. /,  ''      '. 

.■     l   ti::Ir  yu  ■;   -Ijiffiv  >■■■■•  ■  '■■'';  ■  (■'mj.,,.  Jt    •.  :  ..;}■-■>!    jiikt 

I      -.;i"    !-■-      MHii    ,;T!7/    -:^,i,:.      ,    ;.    ,<n^'-n;l<i    J     ,!f,;,J'      >l!t BJB4 

•■    :!i  1,1',    if.    liijt  ii'  !!'    .   1'.  I        ■'  !;•>  ■iftii;-n;  v  •  ,  ,  ,ii|.  <imi^Hlil 
!■'.  !!•:    V,,  ,,r,,i1  Ir    V  '■'•      '--  '•    '•   to  Jr.-,':!'        M;      !,,:;;  7i:'ij> 

I'    ■•;/■'    '•'■  '  ■■!''*  "  '    .!  b■Jiirl^^ 


l.i:    '( 


IXTlJODUrTORY 

A  coiiL-lnsioii  that  oi-.uanizcd  effort  is  iiiiiety-iiine  })er  oeiit 
responsible  for  the  present  static  of  niatnrity  of  Oklalioma 
City  is  ines(-ai)aMe  aftrr  one  has  made  a  detaiU'd  study  of  out-  ■:.-    i  ;;.>'-         ■ 
standing  e\cnts  of  thi'se  thirty  and  two  years.    This  statement  ■.     ,;,  -         ; 
may  l)ear  a  shade  of  triteness;  it  may  exliibit  tlie  earmarks  of  ,:  ■  ;  i  ui 
the  prime  prin<-ii>le  <d'  eity  huildini:  written  into  books  on  tliat 
subject;  it  may  he  casually  dismissed  as  a  foregone  conclusion 
reached  by  regimes  and  generations  of  constrnctitinists  since 
the  joeopling  of  tlie  ^Middle  A\'est  began;  l)Ut.  in  tliis  instance,  .  'm  v  : 
it  is  re-enlivened  and  re-envisaged  for  a  pur]jose  of  ci.mipari- 
son.    It  is  a  notal)le  fact  that  some  hea\"ily  ])eopled  connnuni-  ■•!  ■■■;.  i.:-i 
ties    of    the    Southwest    have    attained    levels    of    nuuiicipal 
supremacy  directly  and  almost  solely  as  a  I'esnlt  of  the  en- 
deavors of  a  few  su])erior  men  assoeiated  for  business  pur- 
poses.   Their  nund)er  is  small  to  be  sure  and  their  accomplisli-  :  ■ 
ments  are  marvehms  exceptions  to  the  well-established  rule  ''-  <■'■■'          [ 
of  organization.    Nearly  ewry  prospei-ous  conmnuuty  has  had"  ;:•-;  -:-' 
its  foundation  laid  by  a  few  men  associated  for  lousiness  pur-  *■''!.'            I 
poses,  but  eventually  masterful  things  have  been  accomi)lislied  '.''  i' ' ''          >. 
by  a  coml)ination  of  se\cral  nf  such  associations  -wbose  pur-  '.''""'■          | 
pose  was  beyond  iiinuediate  individual  I'roHt  and  involved  the  '.-;■'•  .           f 
common  weal.     'J'his  is  the  fundamental  principle,  of  course,  '•'            •; 
of  society,  of  cooperative  education,  of  religious  enterprises,  ■  >;  •■;  ' 
and  of  f ree  gove]-nment.  ';-,;!!■ 

The  mental  largeness  oi  a  few  men.  the  money-making  '■'''■ 

capacity  of  a  few  men.  the  diekeriiiu-  and  negotiating  instinct  -".li":;'            ; 

of  a  few  men,  and  the  ]tromotion  predilection  of  a  few  men, —  '■    '<■'. 

uugroni»ed,  unorganized,  established  in  shacks  and  shanties.  '  ■    '-  ■'           ' 

unrestricted  by  eoin-eutious,  siiuatted  on  a  windswept  sage-  '■''  ' 

grassed  plain. — ran  in  gi'ooves  cut  with  their  own  picks  and  '-'•'            ! 

shovels;  and,  when  there  was  increased  light  upon  ])ossibili-  •■•■   »■'•' 
ties,  these  grooves  diverged  and   niei'ged   into   ehannels  and 

channels  coutiuenced  into  streams  and  streams  emjitied  bv  '-■  '■' 

their  own  predestined  bent  into  this  sea  of  l)usiness.  religious.  '       ■' 
15 


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16  TIIK  STOKV  OF  oKLAIIo.MA  CITY 

social,  c'ducatioiial  aucl  political  inetropolitanism.  That,  in 
short,  is  the  history  of  Oklahoma  City.  And  it  teaches  that 
divergences  and  confluences  are  essential  to  the  filling  of  the 
sea  and  the  replenishment  and  maintenance  of  its  waters.  In- 
dividual efforts  of  pioneers  produced  gratifying  results,  each 
separately  as  a  business  enteriu-ise.  We  are  pleased  t<i  re- 
flect the  honor  that  is  due  thi-m.  and  fre(iuently  we  are  con- 
strained to  assert  that  Init  for  them  the  entire  history  of  the 
city's  twenty  latest  years  might  have  l)een  so  different  that 
perhaps  a  competitor  would  ha^-e  outshone  it  in  glory.  In- 
dividual efforts  were  substructure  material.  A  few  of  them 
could  have  brought  the  hundred  thousand  hei'c;  it  is  not  likely 
that  they  would  have.  Inevitably  the  drawing  power  lay  in 
concentration,  and  the  hundred  thousand  came  when  the  draw- 
ing power  was  created.  The  dra^ving  ]»ower  was  the  ("'hamber 
of  Commerce,  and  to  that  ]>ody  this  work  is  (h'dieated. 

Oklahoma  city  original !}•  was  nature  fa^•ol■ed.  Pe]'ha]is 
the  thought  entered  the  minds  of  none,  oi-  if  any  but  a  few.  in 
the  first  raw,  undisciplined  years,  that  tlie  lines  of  eonmion- 
wealths  would  be  so  manipulated  that  the  city  would  lie  with- 
in five  miles  of  the  L;eograi)hical  center  of  a  state.  It  was  with- 
in a  five-hour  horse  trot  of  the  border  of  Indian  Territory  and 
therefore  far  to  one  side  and  close  to  a  river-arched  e(U'uer  of 
what  everyViod}-  ]iredicted  would  liecouie  the  e\entual  Okla- 
homa Territory;  that  is,  the  territory  as  geo^l•allhies  })ictured 
it  after  all  the  Indian  rt'servations  west  of  Indian  Territory 
had  l)een  ojtened  for  settleuier.t.  lint  Xatui'e  and  tlie  eighty- 
niners  were  not  in  cah(»ots.  liecause  the  eiglity-niners  wvyv 
ignorant  of  the  i-olitics  of  tlie  future.  If  Oklahoma  Territory 
had  becouie  a  separate  state.  Oldahoiua  ( 'ity.  geographically 
considered,  would  liavi'  had  small  call  for  the  capital,  which 
Congress  ahvady  had  locat.'d  at  Cuthrie:  iioi'  would  Ciuthrie 
have  been  secure  in  that  !ioU(»r.  'JMiis  vei-y  fact  accounts  in 
part  for  a  majoi-ity  of  the  residents  of  Oklahoma  City  in  latei' 
years.  disrcLiardimi-  political  alliam-i's  on  the  capital  issue  and 
standing  unitedly  in  favoi'  of  ;>  single  state  to  be  formed  out 
of  Oklahoma  Tei-ritory  an<l  Indian  Tei'ritory.  Nature  re- 
vealed itself  in  consideration  of  that  issue. 

In  view  of  its  LiVo-iapliical  location,  and  i)i  disreiiard  of 
|)olitical  e\-entualities.   it   was  destined  to  become  the   iutei'- 


Tro  /.!•'<>;:/ 


Y,i'iT>'  :u!' 


■1         ■  .;:  V  .11  ',.    '.iijiii'Tiii!;.'!  bur;  r 


I.Kf 


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■~-> 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  19 

section  point  of  two.  trunk  lines  of  railroad.  Several  years 
before  the  opening  in  1889  the  Santa  Fe  had  constructed  a 
line  north  and  south  through  the  Territory  that  entered  near 
Arkansas  City,  Kansas,  and  passed  into  Texas  near  Gaines- 
ville. This  line  lay  twenty-tive  to  thirty  miles  east  of  the  one 
hundredth  meridian  and  in  general  it  separatc^d  the  prairies 
of  the  west  from  the  timber  lands  of  the  east.  It  was  a  divi- 
sion mark  Ijetween  the  "short-giass"  country  and  the 
"sticks."  Settlement  of  the  west  side  of  tlie  original  Indian 
Territory,  or  the  Unorganized  Territory  as  it  was  later  desig- 
nated, of  course  demanded  railroad  facilities  from  the  east 
as  well  as  frijm  the  north  and  south.  Probable  connections 
with  Texas  J^anhandle  jxiints  were  in  early  years  not  a  matter 
of  vital  concern,  for  the  wind-stripped  Plains  were  yet  climati- 
cally discredited.  One  of  the  tirst  organized  indnstrial  eti'orts 
of  the  city  resulted  in  its  securing  a  lino  of  the  Kock  IsUnid 
railroad  that  built  eventually  from  Memphis,  Tennessee,  to 
Amarillo,  Texas,  and  split  the  two  territories  wide  o}»en  from 
east  to  west  as  the  Santa  Fe  had  done  from  nortli  to  south. 
Tlie  Rock  Ishuid,  originally  called  the  Choctaw,  did  not  come 
in  a  night,  nor  did  it  come  gracefully  and  with  facility.  It 
came  after  nmch  dickering  and  much  bickering,  after  fights 
between  aml)itious  comnnmities,  one  of  which  was  Guthrie, 
Oklahoma  City's  earliest,  most  formida])le  and  hmgost-lived 
eommercial  and  political  rival,  and  after  the  travail  of  hard 
work  and  sleepless  nights.  But  when  it  eame,  Oklahoma 
City's  commercial  position  was  for  the  time  being  secure.  It 
was  (d'  deltatable  tenure,  however,  for  a  trunk  line  of  the  Hock 
island  system  had  ])aralleled  the  Santa  Fe  through  the  State, 
]>assing  within  thirty  miles  of  the  city  on  the  west,  and  on  it, 
iieai-ly  due  west  of  the  city,  was  founded  the  town  of  El  lieno. 
This  town  eai'ly  gave  evidences  of  rivalry  with  Oklahoma  ( 'ity 
and  those  evidences  were  enhanced  many  fold  when  the  Meiu- 
])his-Amarillo  line  was  made  to  intersect  the  Ihn-k  Island 
trunk  line  at  that  jioint.  And  this  incipient  rivali'y,  more 
menacing  than  any  the  city  had  faced,  explains  why  the  city's 
big  men  in  the  "OOs  so  vigorously  eelebrated  the  entrance  of 
the  Frisco  from  the  northeast.  The  entrance  of  the  Frisco, 
indeed,  was  the  most  important  event  of  a  decade,  if  not  the 
one  clinching  and  determining  event  in  all  the  city's  history. 


iL-M    :     ;     ;'>L(! 


!-! 


■'  1    .'1   i 

:  i   1      '1,    '••■ 

20  TPIE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Sedate,  sileut  and  imobtnisive  Nature,  perhaps  better  identi- 
fied by  the  term  Geography,  again  favored  a  cit\-  wavering  and 
debating  in  insecurity.  In  this  instance  the  faVur  was  doublv 
purposeful,  f..r  the  railroad  builders  foresaw  the  opening  to 
settlement  of  the  Ijig  Kiowa  and  Comanche  Indian  countr^^ 
situated  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  territory,  and  Okla- 
homa City  lay  on  a  direct  route  between  Sapuli)a,  the  Frisco 
terminus,  and  the  central  section  of  the. Kiowa  and  Comanche 
reservation. 

In  a  sense,  political  subdi\-isions  were  of  secondarv  con- 
cern, in  the  view  of  the  eighty-niners,  for  the  city  was  located 
in  the  center  of  a  fertile  agricultural  section  tliat  embracMl 
contiguous  territory  of  part  of  the  new  Oklahoma  and  of  na- 
tions of  Indian  Territ.uy  and  other  Indian  reservations  soon 
to  be  opened.  They  entertained  a  mild  trust  in  the  Santa  Fe. 
expecting  active  cooperation  of  its  immigration  and  coloniza- 
tion departments.  The  Santa  Fe,  however,  could  scarcely  be 
a  respecter  of  municipalities  on  its  line,  and  the  eighty-niners 
early  learned  that  self-dependence,  self-assertivenessand  the 
boldest  sort  of  influential  preponderance  of  effort  would  t;et 
results. 

When  the  coming  of  the  Frisco  eliminated  El  Reno  and 
Shawnee  as  contenders  for  nnmicipal  supremacy,  onlv  Guthrie 
remained  an  antagonist.  She  was  a  formidableantagonist,  ])e- 
cause  she  was  the  political  p(.t  boiler  of  the  Territory'^  the  ca])i- 
tal,  and  the  receiver  and  dispenser  of  information  that  came 
out  of  Washington  where  lay  the  converged  ends  of  the  strings 
of  government.  She  was  influential  in  Congi'ess  and  in  tiie 
Governmental  departments.  Durin-  the  -rcatcr  jKirt  of  Okla- 
homa City's  creative  era  the  republicans  were  in  control  of  the 
National  Government  and  Guthrie  remained  rock-i-ibbed  re- 
])ublican.  whereas  normally  Oklahoma  City  was  democratic. 
It  was  the  seat  of  democratic  <.rganization  in  the  Teri'itorv. 
the  chief  c(,iivention  c<'ntcr  and  t]\o  home  of  several  of  the 
party's  most  astute  leaders.  Hei-e  was  ^.ublislu'd  the  Ica.liim' 
democratic  newspaper.  The  Daily  Oklahonian.  wliil.'  in  (iutli- 
rie  Frank  Greer  rami'odded  the  official  mouth-ipiece  of  tlie 
repul)lican  party.  The  Oklahoma  State  Capital.  Political 
enmity  ever  was  ].en-,.i,tib]e.  Almost  e,|ua]ly  as  formidable 
as  Guthi'ie's  political   influence  was   its  ].ower  t.i  command 


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thp:  story  of  Oklahoma  city  21 

railroad  iuvcstnient.  Duriiiy  the  years  that  Oklahoma  City 
was  pulling  tooth  and  nail  for  two  strategical  linos  Guthrie 
was  making  itself  the  snug  center  of  a  web  of  no  less  strategi- 
cal but  less  intiuential  and  less  comx)etitive  lines.  Six  short 
branches  were  laid  into  the  capital  from  as  many  ^joints  ahaig 
the  Santa  Fe,  Rock  Island  and  Frisco  trunks.  It  locked 
detinitely  and  i)ermauently  secure.  Its  population  grew  tn 
over  fifteen  thousand  and  always  for  many  years  it  was  a 
hubbub  of  business  and  political  commotion. 

These  skeleton  facts  will  assist  the  reader  to  more  fuUy 
appreciate  how  extraoi dinar}-  were  the  accomplishments  of 
Oklahoma  ('it\-  in  that  jieriod  between  the  entrance  of  the 
Frisco  and  the  reuKival  of  the  state  cax»ital.  To  secure  the 
capital  Oklahoma  ( 'ity  knew  that  Statehood  first  was  essential. 
Although  an  attempt  was  made  in  tlie  early  "OOs  to  have  the 
Legislature  declari-  OklahdUia  (_'ity  the  capital,  the  matter 
was  permitted  to  remain  in  abeyance  while  the  overshadowing 
issue  of  stateluxKl  was  given  su]>reme  attention.  Had  Guthrie 
been  gi\-en  an  opportimity  to  vote  on  the  question  of  state- 
hood, doul>tless  a  consideralde  majority  W(.>uld  have  favored 
two  states.  On  the  other  hand  a  prei)onderating  majority  in 
Oklahoma  City  would  have  favored  a  single  state.  The  crea- 
tion of  a  single  state  Wjas  the  great(>st  boon  that  Congress  could 
confer  upon  the  i>ei>ple  of  the  Territories,  and  it  was  the  one 
act  necessary  to  assure  suiii'emacy  to  Oklahoma  City. 

Whether  one  is  a  p(jlitical  partisan,  afliliated  this  wa}'  or 
that,  d<ies  not  alter  a  majoi'ity  opinion  here  existing  that  the 
city's  leanings  toward  the  faith  of  the  demncratir  party 
counted  for  an  aluKist  incalculable  lot  in  the  capital  contro- 
ver.sy.  The  conjoining  of  Indian  Territory  with  Okhdionia 
Teri-itoiw  gave  the  democrats  of  the  state  a  majtuity  of  about 
twenty-five  thousand.  Political  leaders  in  that  party  natu- 
rally were  considerate  (^f  the  claims  of  a  democratic-  stronuhuld 
f«u-  capital  limiors.  This  consideration  was  iiitcnsiricd  during 
the  tirst  campaign  wlicn  Charles  X.  Haskell,  the  dcmnciati(' 
nominee  for  govci'uor,  most  bitterly  den(:>unr-cd  the  (iuthrie 
oligarchy  and  sev<'ral  individual  members  thereof:  and.  in 
advocating  a  "Jini  Crow""  law,  with  cliara'-teristic  snn-asm 
and  invective,  accused  rc]»ublican  leaders  of  (iuthrie  rif  liar- 
boring  a  large  negro  poi)ulatioii  for  political  i)urposes.     I'n- 


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i 

22  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHo.AIA  CITY 

questionably  exati'^eratious  and  lUKiUalitlcd  falsclnxxls  uaineil  j 

curreuc}-  during  the  cani2)aiyn,  and  these  are  nut  condoned  in 
this  screed,  but  the  burden  and  the  bulk  of  events  tended  to- 
ward both  political  and  commercial  repudiation  of  Guthrie. 
and  that  fact  the  most  partisan  reader  is  entitled  to  know. 
With  the  democrats  in  control  of  the  state  jiovernment  it  was 
virtually  a  foregone  ctmclusion  that  the  huge  democratic  ma- 
jority in  the  state  would,  when  op}»ortunity  Avas  presented, 
take  the  capital  away  from  Guthrie. 

There  was  more  of  the  South  in  Oklahoma  City  than  in 
Guthrie  and  there  was  more  tolerance  among  persons  from 
widely  separated  sections  of  the  Tnited  States.  Kansas  and 
Texas  met  on  common  ground,  fought  out  their  differences  in 
a  week  or  a  month,  and  became  neighbors  and  friends.  ^lich- 
igau  locked  horns  with  Massachusetts  and  in  a  magical  amal- 
gamation the  one  abbreviated  the  stretch  of  his  r"s  and  the 
other  interjected  that  letter  into  his  alphabet.  Here  the  Ix-st 
ideas  and  ideals  of  Xorth,  South,  East  and  "West  were  cast 
into  the  mill  hopi)er  and  that  which  was  best  came  out  as 
acceptable  food  and  that  whicli  was  chaff  was  not  even  fed  to 
swine.  To  some  extent  socially  a  similar  milling  jn-oc-ess 
operated  in  Guthrie,  but  the  politicians  would  have  none  of  it.  ; 

The  politicians  were  in  control  of  the  destinies  of  the  city  and 
they  countenanced  no   fcu-giveness.   compromise  or  retreat.  ; 

Oklahoma  City's  characteristic  and  widely  advertised  spirit  ^. 

of  business  and  social  communion  was  an  asset  of  incalculable 
value  not  only  in  enteri)rises  of  uuiuieipal  or  state  concern  but  [ 

iu  modifying  and  mollifying  nutiuns  about  it  in  faroff  jilaces  : 

of  the  Xatiou.  and  from  hundreds  <if  these  faroff  place-<  came  ' 

no  small  i^ercentage  of  the  Inuidnd  tluiusaiid. 

After  searching  through  the  uiuie  or  less  browned  and 
frazzled-edged  recoi'ds  of  tliese  tliirty-one  years  the  author 
finds  himself  in  possession  of  some  opinions  not  previously 
entertained  regarding  l)oth  policies  and  nicn,  and  of  mr>re  w,-ll-  ; 

defined  opinions  about  (li\"crs  thinus  than  he  fonued  wlu-n 
transpirings  were  current.  Wc  look  u]ion  an  e\-ent  nioi-c 
generously  and  m»u'e  charitably  after  its  rect'ssioii  into  fifteen 
or  twenty  years  of  liistory  than  wlien  the  heat  and  the  labor 
and  the  turmoil  of  the  day  were  n\n,u  it.  Wy  the  same  y;iV(l- 
stick  we  measure  men  and  orLianizations.     AVe  sift  oiit  the 


:  i      .    J  »   .'  i  I ' 


iiii!',-»  inii;  '/. 'i.ri!  >  (  iLtod  b'l/^'fl' 

■i.'ixli('.tll"->   ■•:  !      ,   -.'UfJutxiV 


THE  STORV  OF  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY  23 

faults  of  leaders,  which  usually  we  tiud  weie  of  niiiior  degree, 
and  laud  and  extol  their  virtues.  We  forget  their  passions 
and  even  condone  the  law  infractions  of  u  few  in  consideration 
of  their  genuine  worthiness  as  building  and  boosting  citizens. 
AVe  are  iienitent  that  we  made  nnrighteous  charges  against 
associations  of  men.  There  are  residents  of  the  city  today  who 
speak  unkindly  of  these  associations  out  of  a  thimbleful  of 
tattled  information  who  twenty  years  from  today  will  regret 
the  speech  and  wonder  how  it  came  about  that  they  permitted 
the  progress  train  to  go  by  without  their  taking  passage. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  reared  Oklahoma  City  after 
it  reached  its  teens.  A  small  and  unorganized  gr(jup  of  uien 
presented  it  for  adoption  when  it  was  time  to  discard  sailor 
collars  and  knee  breeches,  when  its  vocal  organs  were  chang- 
ing and  it  had  had  some  scattered  and  smattered  conceptions 
of  a  career.  Trained  directorship  was  required.  In  sh<ut.  if 
the  metaphor  may  be  changed,  business  prophets  saw  a  long 
and  steep  hill  to  be  ascended  and  they  knew  that  e\'eu  the 
first  rest  level  coidd  not  be  reached  unless  the  team  ^\■as  re- 
cruited and  every  puller  pulled  his  prorated  share  of  the  load. 

A  history  of  Oklahoma  City,  touching  commercial  and  in- 
dustrial activities,  during  the  last  twenty  years  is  a  history  in 
maj(»r  part  of  the  Chamber  of  ( 'onunorce.  The  author  admits 
that  this  is  a  revelation  to  him.  It  was  Mr.  ( 'iiarles  (1.  Jones 
and  A[r.  Henry  Overholser  whose  initiative  induced  the  Frisco 
to  build  hither,  but  their  efforts  might  have  been  fruitless  had 
not  the  conunereial  organization  of  that  day  helped  them  to 
execute  the  contract.  It  was  the  ('haml)cr  of  Connuerce  that 
secured  the  two  great  packing  plants.  It  was  the  ('liamber  of 
Connuerce  that  put  brains  and  energy  and  money  into  tln' 
cani])aigii  that  wou  the  state  cai)ital.  And  that  Ixxly  during 
the  World  war  divested  itself  of  virtually  all  other  iiuri^oses 
and  sent  its  membership  into  the  several  war-work  enterprises. 
The  Chamlicr  of  <^innnerce  did  not  Avin  the  war.  nor  did  any 
other  single  organization  win  it,  but  its  services  were  of  such 
inagniticent  proportions,  directlx'  and  through  uiuuiuibered 
raniitications,  that  what  it  accomplished  may  be  candidl\- 
Classified  as  the  third  of  its  three  greatest  eudeavoi's  dui-iug 
the  last  twenty  years. 

The  <'ouunei'ciaI  appetites  of  the  pioneers  were  insatiable. 


.;■  ■'  '               ■■.  •'  .7  ■■:ii-.i.  ,      ■■■■ ',      ■  >'.  ■  li  III  ^jlm.'i 
'.'!  II'. /i:;  :-.  ■  .    -  '-'Mil  i-:.:^'. 


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24  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIKJ.MA  (TTY 

Thi.s  siiimilar  cliai-actci-istic  was  ijo  iiioi-c  oxtradnlinary  than 
tht'ir  appraisal  uf  the  size  of  the  l)ite.s  tliey  couhl  chew  or  the 
eapaeity  of  their  stoinachs.  They  were  in  an  niipcopkHl  out- 
(h^ors  with  everytliin.u'  under  the  smi  to  ask  for  and  10.()0U 
acres  on  whieh  to  phicc  all  they  received.  Hut  the  nuniher  of 
things  they  received  was  so  small  compared  to  the  numl>er 
they  asked  for  that  it  Avould  he  inHnitesuual  if  it  were  not  so 
consequential.  As  one  frolics  hack  over  tlie  years  to  form 
the  acquaintance  of  men  and  to  en\ision  little  spots  of  progress 
and  Avide  acres  of  mediocrity,  he  is  drawn  n<iw  into  a  gTou})  of 
sober-minded  men  asking  for  a  givat  portion  of  the  fulness 
of  the  earth  and  then  into  another  grou])  of  hurrahing  men 
who  appear  to  have  even  a  greater  porti.)n  than  the  other 
group  soTight.  Railroads  was  an  ohsession.  JJuring  a  period 
of  ten  years  no  less  than  tifteen  paper  railroads  were  laid 
through  Oklahoma  ('it\-.  and  the  wonder  is  that  there  was 
practically  as  nmch  enthusiasm  o\-er  one  scra}i  of  jiajier  as 
another.  The  policy  of  the  pioneers  was  to  let  nothing  sli)i. 
to  take  a  shot  at  everything  that  had  a  face  of  silver  even  if  it 
lacked  a  heart  of  gold  and  didn't  cost  in  excess  of  a  niilliou 
dollars.  They  Avere  liheral-heaited  if  souu'times  Hat-pocketed. 
given  to  the  sport  of  voting  honds  and  to  the  setting  of  corner- 
lot  posts  t(Mi  miles  into  the  counti'y !  Tliey  foresaw  a  city  of  a 
quarter  of  a  million  l»y  such  ami  such  a  year  and  made  i^raise 
and  rejoicing  over  the  suspected  jealousy  of  St.  Louis.  Kansas 
City  and  Denver. 

Optimism  probably  was  an  e(|ual  of  ideas  in  the  kit  of  con- 
struetioJi  tools.  You  were  made  a  l)elie\-er  whether  }ou  willed 
it  or  not.  A  large  ])arty  of  editors  of  the  country  came  this 
way  once  and  hehl  their  meeting  in  Muthi-ie.  after  which  they 
were  taken  over  an  arch  of  the  western  part  of  the  Territoi'y. 
Oklahoma  City  was  the  terminus  of  the  tour.  As  the\-  entered 
the  city.  Charles  (I.  Jones  walked  with  heroic  ti-eacj  throu-h 
the  long  line  of  coaches  and  amioiuiced  in  his  homespiui  Eng- 
lish that  the  \isitors  were  now  entering  an  houest-to-gooduess 
city.  'AVe  have  showed  you  the  towns  ,,f  the  Territory.'"  he 
said,  "and  now  take  ]»leasure  in  preseiitinu-  the  metro].o]is  of 
the  Teri'itory."  At  that  time  census-takers  doubtless  woidd 
have  had  to  pad  the  returns  to  make  a  total  of  12.0IH)  soids. 
l>ut  the  population  dis]»orte(l  itself  with  co^moiHilitan  grace 


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RESIDENCE   OF  E.  H.  COOKE 


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RKSIDKNTIAL   STIIKIC 


THE  STOKV  OK  UKLAIIO.MA  CITV  27 

and  Dclinar  (iardcn  ncvei"  i)Ut  on  airs  h<  a  hettiT  atUantaux'. 
No  editor  who  wrote  of  his  expericiit-i's  uium  returning-  home 
was  so  ungracious  as  to  omit  a  para,ura}»li  of  pi-aise  for  this 
wonderful  spot,  and  the  Chamber  of  Connnerce  was  ke})t  busy 
for  weeks  sorting  its  press  clippings.  It  was  a  few  years  latter, 
when  pa\'ing  was  extended  l)eyond  Thirt<'enth  Sti-cct  and 
motor-cars  fell  into  the  hands  of  real  estate  dealers,  that  a 
gentleman  from  Kentucky,  having  had  it  proven  to  him  that 
Fortieth  Street  was  l^ut  five  minutes  out,  paid  a  tine  tigin-e  for 
a  raw  corner  lot  and  then  discovered  that  the  property  was 
four  miles  from  ^lain  and  Broadway.  But  the  Kentuckian, 
remembering  the  speed  possibilities  of  gasoline  and  its  decep- 
tion in  distances,  to(.ik  the  "skinning"  with  good  grace  and 
awaited  an  opportunity  to  heap  coals  of  fire.  When,  yet  a 
little  later,  there  were  populated  streets  beyond  the  sixties  he 
pocketed  his  700  per  cent  of  profit,  reenacted  the  clauses  of 
his  wrath  against  Oklahoma  realty  men  and  spread  the  news 
of  good  fortune  throughout  the  Blue  Gi'ass  cotnitry.  Some 
persons  hold  that  this  accoimts  for  Oklahoma's  large  number 
of  ex-Kentuckians! 

In  the  early  formative  years  the  city  had  a  railroad  today 
and  a  bm-sted  balloon  tomorrow,  a  million-dollar  eotton  mill 
today  and  an  imtouched  industrial  addition  tomorrow,  a  gush- 
ing gas  well  at  its  door  today  and  an  extinct  crater  tomorrow. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  had  a  postage  stamp  and  the  i)riee  of  a 
telegram  today  and  six  million  dollars  invested  in  meat  jiaek- 
eries  tomorrow,  a  connnittee  seeking  a  few  funds  today  and  a 
Frisco  railroad  tomorrow,  a  little  ])olitical  wire-pulling  toilay 
and  a  statt'  capital  tomorrow,  a  little  more  effort,  a  little  more 
pep,  a  little  more  brain,  a  little  more  casli  today  and  a  KHI.OIK) 
population  tomorrow. 

What  outeouK'S  these  late  years  reveal!  A  l)laek-liaired 
young  man  who  once  carried  the  pistol  of  a  deputy  marslial 
and  swapped  town  lots  on  dusty  comers  of  dull  da>'s  to  terrify 
the  wolf  erects  a  million-dollar  otfice  buihliug,  hobnobs  with 
the  leading  captains  of  industry  of  the  country  and  is  culled 
Colonel  Colcord.  The  proprietor  of  a  livery  stable,  who  hauled 
homesteaders,  liouieseekers,  contestants,  lawyers,  s(iuatters, 
speculators  and  prol)al)ly  outlaws  over  the  hills  and  hollows  of 
a   roadless   landscape   and   outfitted   young  men   in   spotless 


.■.t'lido 


if    Hf5l!!'»i  ,■;l^• 


■uA   .:v:t. 


iM'i       I     (.:,-.'      ^ 


I'll  f;   '[■'  ; 


h-,.iMv     '^J.Ml 


T    ,i,-t...|n  )!■,., 


2^  THE  STOKY  OF  (JKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

clothes  for  .Sunday  aftcniooii  buggy  rides  with  their  sweet- 
hearts and  friends,  builds  the  city's  first  big  hotel  and  one  of 
its  first  Main  Street  oftiee  buildings,  accimiulates  a  fortune 
otherwise  and  niuves  up  to  Ka)isas  City  where  they  respect- 
fully prefix  a  mister  to  the  once  plain  Oscar  Lee."  xV  eow- 
puncher  froui  tlie  sandy  lands  and  sapoaks  of  Cirayson  County, 
Texas,  who,  contrary  to  all  liabits  and  traits  of  his  kind,  ac- 
quires the  8peneerian  art  and  passes  it  on  to  others,  becomes 
an  accountant  of  i)arts  and  is  prouK.ted  to  tlie  otlice  of  treas- 
urer of  his  state — introducing  tlie  lionorablc  William  L.  Alex- 
ander. Somehow  it  was  expected  tliat  Henry  Overholser 
would  accunmlate  a  fortune;  he  was  gifted  in  sudi  fashion. 
But  it  would  have  required  uncommon  pnq.liecy  to  pictuie 
him  in  a  palatial  home  set  upon  a  long  verdured  ridge  that 
once  tempered  the  sting  of  the  ••northers,"  and  more  than  a 
mile  away  from  Main  Strec'tl  Thither  also  went  Edward 
Cooke,  the  banker,  and  topped  the  ridge  with  a  brick  residence 
of  English  persuasion  that  furnished  a  topic  for  conversation 
intervals  at  many  an  afternoon  tea.  Some  eight  or  ten  years 
later  Edith  Johnson  discovered  that  the  ridge  had  Ix'conie  the 
pick  of  the  exclusi\-e  rich  and  in  their  midst  flowered  culture 
and  social  fantasmies,  dv^lt  period  furniture  and  reading 
lamps  and  servants  and  lions  on  guard  at  the  gates.  Some  day 
every  conscientious  and  consistent  promoter  will  sit  on  the 
beach  and  witness  the  arrival  of  his  ship.     Some  such  a  jiro-  : 

verbial  notion  was  entertained  l)y  the  contenqioraries  of  C.  (!.  I 

Jones  and  they  praised  him  in  a  s})irit  of  realized  anticipa-  f 

tiou  when  he  more  than  once  saw  the  g;ing  plank  inclined  from  ' 

the  bow.    And  tluraigli  the  interlocking  yeai-s  run  the  careers  \ 

of  J.  M.  Owen  and  A.  L.  AVehh  and  Kd  Overholser  and  Dr.  ; 

A.  C.  Scott  and  (leorge  Cooke,  and  a  score  of  others,  who 
wrestled  with  a  nu'diocrity  that  ]irevailed  on  Main  Street  iu 
'S9  and  con(iuered  it  in  piecemeal  l)efore  fi-ost  formed  upon  i 

their  temples.     Xo  feats  werc^  extraordinary.     The  city  isn't  *: 

set  apart  and  billboarde.l  with  amiouncements  tli;it  it.  of  all 
middle  west  cities,  stands  alone  as  a  veritable  wondei'  of  the 
age.     But  the  men  that  sledge-hammered  the  si)ikes  into  the  ;. 

sills,  raised  the  walls,  stretrhed  the  joisTs.  elevated  the  rafters, 
naih'd  ..n  the  shingles  and  painted  and  furnished  the  house  are  ', 

entitled  to  have  their  names  Avritti'U  on  the  Ikpx  that  tlie  post- 


^i"  ;m)  ,|.^  (.> 


,1  ■!■![!  ■•iirrq 


■f  ^!    ,;l: 


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;  .1/      i.  To 

T-i'^    .    '     .A 


'r     .t:.i,.n! 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY  29 

man  uses;  indeed,  if  it  so  gratities  them,  to  have  their  initials 
carved  into  the  very  sides  of  the  ,uate-guarding  lions.  It  has 
become  an  honor  for  one  to  say  he  is  an  eighty-niner,  as  nnieh 
so  in  pleasant  memories  and  mental  apartness  as  if  one  were 
descended  from  a  !Maytl()wei-  pasM/uiivr  or  a  hern  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution.  Graver  responsibilities  were  upon  those  that 
came  after  them.  Their  numbers  waxed  smaller  and  smaller 
as  the  tides  of  the  "QOs  ascended  and  so  nuidi  smaller  in  the 
next  three  decades  that  their  outstamliuy  ones  were  the  first 
scattered  stars  of  evening.- 

The  researcher  heartily  regrets  their  demise,  but  no  sooner 
are  the  tears  wiped  away  than  their  siu-cessors  greet  him.  The 
names  of  Overh(dser,  Brown,  Scott,  Owen,  Cooke.  Alexander, 
AVilkin,  Clarke,  Colcord.  Lee,  Welch  and  Pettee  go  streaking 
through  the  years  like  suiier-huntsmen  of  a  chase  traversing 
a  thousand  nnles  of  mmnitain  crags.  But  ere  many  miles  are 
left  at  rear  new  names  are  Hashed  upon  the  peaks — Classen. 
Shartel,  Ames,  Stone.  Bass,  Heynian,  Brock,  Frederickson. 
"Warren,  Cayhu'd,  "Workman,  these  and  many  others,  brief  ac- 
counts of  whose  endeavors  are  found  in  these  modest  and  [los- 
sibly  mediocre  pages.  Sitting  in  judgment  from  tlu'  vantage 
point  of  the  historian  one  glimpses  new  angles  of  character 
and  appraises  some  of  them  in  the  fullness  of  their  careers 
as  these  lay  indited  upon  the  spread  of  the  years.  ( )ne  reaches 
an  inevitable  conclusion  that  a  man  cannot  occupy  an  exalted 
position  in  business  or  the  ])rofessious  for  twenty  years  or 
thirty  years.  Avith  his  name  uold-lettere<l  uiioii  the  paramount 
transactions  of  the  times.  sa\-e  and  exi-ejit  his  virtues  \-astly 
outweigh  his  vices.  Equally  ine\itable  is  the  conclusion  that 
a  display  of  seltisluiess  now  and  th<'n.  which  may  imire  to  cou- 
sideral)le  ]»rotit.  is  insi^niticant  when  one  views  a  i»aramount 
transaction  completed  and  obserxes  the  measure'  of  its  jiublic 
benefactii'U.  One  is  tempted  to  set  ui>  in  the  literature  of  the 
years  little  luonuuK'nts  of  cheer  built  o\'i'r  the  l)uried  sniall- 
ness  of  e\-il  and  dedicated  to  the  niountaiu-size  i)ignesses  <d' 

The  ])leasurable  task  of  jotting  down  a  few  pai-agi'aphs 
id'  ui.standing  things  in  the  history  .d'  Oklahoma  <  'ity  has  had 
its  disappointments.  I'hey  are  based  on  the  potent  f;ict  of 
incompleteness.     Foi-  instau<-e.  one  could  have  written  a  vol- 


-■I  itii  ! 


titr     ;^f!<'i{^")-!    ;  )/ 


30  THE  STORY  OK  OKLAHOMA  I'lTV 

lime  rclatiii.n-  to  liti.uation  aft'cctiiii;-  the  several  individual 
tracts  of  land  that  now  e()nii)rise  the  entity  of  the  eity,  and  it 
would  have  been  replete  with  tlie  atniosjdiere  of  traiiedy.  strat- 
egy, deception  and  romance;  l)ut  an  attempt  has  l)cen  made 
to  introduce  the  reader  to  the  suhjcct.  to  relate  only  ini]:)ortant 
facts  and  dismiss  it  out  of  re,L;ar(l  to  the  }»ressinLi,-  call  of  an- 
other subject  eciually  intcrestin;^-  and  (Mjiially  imixirtant. 
Some  excellent  themes  have  been  cruelly  deserted  as  they  hung- 
suspended  over  the  precipice  of  a  chapter  end.  Others  have 
been  grounded  for  lack  of  substantial  facts  to  bear  them  far- 
ther. But  in  nearly  every  case  the  reader's  reasoning  will  fill 
the  gaps  and  afford  satisfactory  conclusions.  The  author  has 
sought  to  tell  in  essential  detail  of  important  enteri>rises  that 
were  accomplished — such  as  the  securing  of  railroads,  the 
achievement  of  the  capital  and  the  estal)lishmcnt  of  the  pack- 
eries — and  to  minimize  even  the  giamoi-ous  enthusiasm  over 
enterprises  that  failed.  There  was  a  Putnam  City  bubble. 
There  was  a  cotton  mill  bubble.  There  were  railroad  bubbles 
in  amazing  numbers.  Thei'c  were  oil  and  gas  bubl>les  that 
spent  as  much  gas  before  they  burst  as  the  average  Oklahoma 
gas  well  produces.  A  hundred  important  things  were  started 
and  never  finished,  such  as  a  newspaper  railroad  into  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  state.  ^Most  of  our  failures  have  no 
virtue  as  guides  to  posterity  and  therefore  have  been  scantily 
touched  in  these  narratives.  Similar  dis])osition  has  hceii 
made  of  crime  and  scandal,  the  nuichness  of  which  in  an  early 
decade  stained  the  Territory's  reputation  abroad. 

Oklahoma  City  is  an  example  for  nearly  all  other  i-itics  and 
towns  of  the  State.  As  such  its  influence  cannot  1)^  measured 
in  the  realm  of  conuncrct',  education,  society  or  religion. 
Dcmon-stration  of  its  h'adership  was  ne\-er  more  marked  than 
during  the  World  war.  It  is  doubtful  if  nu'W  than  a  few  of  its 
business  leaders  appreciate  its  position,  doubtful  if  they  have 
given  a  serious  thought  to  the  fact  that  clnonicles  of  their  daily 
doings  are  carried  by  the  newspapers  into  tens  of  thousands  of 
homes  out  in  the  state  and  that  these  chronicles  and  the  \Hn-- 
sonality  of  the  individuals  mentioned  in  ihem  are  topics  of 
street-corner,  connnunity-h"Use  and  fireside  discussions.  It 
is  remarked  often  that  one  goes  out  into  the  state  t(»  learn 
details  of  what  is  goinu  on  at  home.     It  is  of  \ital  (Concern  to 


i:,'  i  ;-•    ■<'  V; 


•■•f->!;;ii   .!'»■>'' 

ij;;    I..    ;'■■     •■ 
ir'-."' :i 


1  v;    'ifiJlf 


,1      I   o    .,    !r:t^  r><l;t..   M,  ;h,;l 


U'->f! 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  31 

the  State,  tlierefure,  that  what  Okkihouia  City  dues  should 
be  done  cautiously,  properly  aud  with  due  regard  to  its  effect 
upon  what  we  may  approi)riately  call  her  constituency.  The 
character  of  a  city  should  he  as  sacred  as  that  of  an  individual. 
Disillusionnients  frequently  are  fatal  to  reputation. 


il'I; 


,;  ,'r>r  i>"r  v»'r 


ir-.n-  nilUO  •>!!•■  tb     ;ii 


A  COTTAGK  FOR  TWO 

On  the  barkk'!?s  white  tiunk  <>t  a  veteran  oak,  lonu'  since 
su])erannnated  tu  tlie  service  of  the  weary,  sat  Mary  Lakt'. 
xVn  October  clay  was  departing.  Lony  shadows  eowred  tlie 
open  spaces  of  the  little  forest  at  the  edge  of  the  prairie.  Her 
blue  simbonnet  hung  below  the  broad  white  collar  of  a  blue 
waist  and  her  browu  cuils  dropped  carelessly  into  little  tangle-; 
under  the  ripples  of  lazy  )jreezes.  She  looked  with  lowered 
eyes  into  miniature  excavations  in  the  loose  soil  where  two 
shoe  tips  aimlessly  carried  on  a  process  of  engini'ering.  On 
her  mind  was  a  problem  as  old  as  the  ages.  In  her  heart  \va^ 
an  experience  more  precious  than  great  riches.  Tlie  mind  and 
the  heart  were  in  controvers_v.  and  the  sul)ject  was  as  ancient 
as  the  begiimings  of  tlu'  sex  and  as  modern  as  the  mighty 
moment. 

''It's  desperately  hard,  Louis,  but  I  feel  it  imperati\e  to 
say  it.  About  your  people,  your  ancestry.  I  know  nothing  of 
them.  What  \\ere  your  beginnings,  how  were  you  reared, 
where  have  you  been,  what  have  you  done  ?" 

She  spoke  it  quickly,  almost  in  a  Ijreath,  aiid  when  it  was 
out  at  last,  the  marks  of  intense  seriousness  left  her  face.  Slie 
turned  toward  the  lad  sitting  on  tlie  I'oot  of  an  ash  two  yards 
distant.  Tears  slijjped  out  timidly  and  arra\-e(l  themsfl\-es 
like  silver  beads  upon  her  checks.  A  smile  disarranged  tlicni 
and  they  fell  i)layfully  into  her  lap.  Souiethiu-  sug-estiim  a 
new  dawn  was  warped  into  that  smile,  something  eiiibleuiati- 
cal  of  intinite  ndief. 

The  lad  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  received  the  uiessa-e  into  a 
mind  full  of  trouble,  a  gnawing,  bli-luiiig.  in>idious  sm-t  of 
trou1)le,  deep  and  penetratiu-  and  cah-ulatrd  to  thwart  ambi- 
tion and  drive  a  poor  fellow  to  the  mad  iiouse.  Hut  it  was  an 
anielioiating  nie^sauc  a  re\'i\if\"iiig.  soul  satisfyiiiu  sort  of  a 
luessa^'e.  it  was  an  interrogation  aflii  niati\c.  it  answered 
yes  t<p  the  ]iaraniount  (pU'stioii  ni'  tlie  centuries.  ^  ,.  ,  !^.,.;    . 


i»-  i  Mi.;:  ru  >  /. 


.:.  J 


;1      f  'U'VAt  .,>. 


r,'  in.'    ..IT 

.     :.      Ill,'     Im 

,    M    ,M.    .■.!,'ll 


-.!),.•■! 


34  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Louis  ^Ia.s()ii  hnr^t  into  lan.uliter.  He  leaped  from  tlie 
root  of  the  tree,  twirled  lii.s.S(.)ft  hat  iuto  a  mass  of  browu  sage 
grass,  cast  a  couple  of  triangles  with  his  hands  upon  his  hips, 
looked  triumi)hautly  upon  the  uii'l.  and  the  mehxlies  of  his 
laughter  floated  vibrantly  upon  the  breeze. 

She  welcomed  liiui.  Slie  di\ined  his  answer.  Yet  un- 
spoken, it  I'enioved  all  her  douI>t.  And  when  lie  sat  beside  her, 
enfolded  her  in  his  arms  and  kissed  her  warm  desirous  lips 
world  ijeace  was  a  reality,  nation  became  nation's  neighbor, 
armaments  were  sunk  in  the  waters  <jf  the  seas,  brotherly  love 
prevailed  e\-erywhere,  and  heaven  came  down  to  earth  and 
blessed  it. 

Close  beside  her  in  the  accunuilating  dusk  of  the  delight- 
ful autmnn  day,  unmindful  of  the  hour,  unheeding  of  the  sup- 
per bell  at  the  ranch  house  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  forgetful 
of  the  mooing  cows  and  tlie  neighing  of  hungry  horses,  Louis 
Mason  told  her  this  story: 

"I  am  a  sixteenth-blood  Choctaw  Indian.  Aboriginal  an- 
cestry exists  in  both  my  parents.  ^ly  mother  is  the  grand- 
daughter of  the  first  missionary  that  came  among  the  Choc- 
taws.  Pier  grandmother  was  the  daughter  of  a  great  chieftain 
who  was  a  friend  of  presidents  and  a  conunissioner  of  his 
tribe  avIio  sat  in  the  councils  of  statesmen  that  framed  the 
early  treaties.  The  missionary  she  married  was  a  college  man 
of  New  Jci-sey.  a  descendcnt  of  passengers  on  the  ]\[ayfl<nver. 
He  was  beloved  of  all  the  Indians,  and  I  believe  his  influence 
f(n'  uprightness  would  have  been  mai-ked  in  the  raee  to  this 
day  had  not  Avhite  men  witliout  scruples  taught  his  generation 
and  the  one  l)efore  it  tlint  lying  and  stealing  and  uuirder  wei'e 
essentials  to  gettinu'  on  well  in  the  world. 

"It  was  this  teaching  tluit  bi'ouuht  couuuiuut\-  troubles 
and  open  warfare  into  the  Choctaw  country  many  >'ears  be- 
fore you  and  I  wei'c  Ixn'U.  It  led  to  tlu-  organization  of  a 
band  of  fulHtloods.  called  Suakes.  who  imagined  that  the  in- 
termixture of  Caucasian  Idood  with  Indian  blood  in  the  race 
drove  out  veneration  foi-  fullMood  ancestry  and  caused  a  de- 
parture from  the  ideals  of  the  forefathei-s  (d'  the  ra(^e. 

"The  Suakes  listed  e\-el-y  Ulixe(l-l)lnoil  as  theii'  eueni>-. 
The>-  made  him  an  outcast  from  their  society.  (Continued  in- 
termarriage intensitied  their  hatred,  and  the  gradual  growth 


m;  ■;         »•  /         I     II'.;  !  1*5 


^j:>  -^< 


17;^6997 


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veeasif  j 


I 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  37 

in  the  iinpvilation  of  iiii.\'-l)Iun{ls  and  wliitcs  diove  the  Snakes 
into  more  secret  liidiny  places  and  strengthened  the  hond  of 
th(Mr  luiion.  At  length  the  Snakes  resolved  to  drive  tiieir 
enemies  from  the  nation.  Armed  with  liows  and  arrows, 
hntcher  knives  and  hatchets  and  a  few  riHes  and  re\(dvers 
they  SAvept  in  small  armies  ont  of  the  Kiamichi  Alouiitains 
down  upon  the  settlements  of  the  mixed-bloods  in  the  valleys 
of  Little  River  and  the  Red.  They  massacred  men,  womesi 
and  children,  burned  their  homes  and  their  barns  and  put  to 
flight  those  fortunate  enough  to  escape  their  ferocities.  Then 
they  returned  to  the  mountains  and  held  a  thanksgiving  pow 
wow  and  ended  the  evil  day  with  a  dance  in  which  braves 
jig  jigged  round  the  'sacred'  tire,  holding  u}»riglit  sharp- 
pointed  slender  poles  topped  with  Idoody  scalps. 

"This  was  the  ])eginning  of  an  extended  warfare  which 
was  ended  by  United  States  troo}is  and  the  execution  of  n 
treaty  of  peace  between  the  I'nited  States  (iovernment  ami 
the  leader  of  the  Snakes.  That  was  the  only  time  the  (Jowrn- 
ment  ever  made  a  treaty  with  an  individual. 

"My  grandfather  was  among  the  mixed-ldoods  who  es- 
caped the  wrath  of  the  Snakes.  He  crossed  with  his  famil\- 
into  Texas  and  there  remained  as  a  peaceful  farmer  mitil  thf 
troubles  weie  all  fully  ended  and  Indians  were  given  allot- 
ments. He  returned  to  the  ('lio<-taw  country,  selectcfl  allot- 
ments for  all  menibeis  of  the  family  and  settleil  down  to  a 
useful  life  in  a  rich  and  I'apidly  develoiting  region.  Mixe(\- 
bl«v)ds  soon  became  predominant  in  affairs  of  tlie  nation  and 
the  decimating  band  of  Snakes  maintained  a  secret  but  pub- 
lic-ly  inactive  organization  back  in  the  fastness  of  the  moun- 
tains. Their  organization  exists  to  this  day  and  the  oldest 
meml)ers  of  it  still  believe  that  one  day  the  (ireat  \Vhit<' 
Father  will  I'cstore  unto  them  their  happ}'  hunting  grounds. 

"My  father  ])ecame  a  judge  among  his  peo]ile.  and  tradi- 
tion says  that  he  was  a  good  and  wise  judge.  And  this  must 
have  been  true,  for  in  time  he  was  ele\'ated  to  the  station  of 
supreme  judge  of  tlu^  nation.  His  advice  and  counsel  fre- 
quently were  sought  in  AVasliington  by  members  (d'  (Jongress 
and  the  heads  of  dejiartments.  and  considerable  of  the  last 
twentv  yeai-s  <<i'  his  life  was  spent  in  the  capital. 

"^Iv  mother  was  a  nati\e  <>(  Miginia,  a  relativi'  of  (leii- 


iii^' 


■  iiw'iM   '/;!?  !.»  ^.<    .  '    ,'  .  I  > '  I-!:).  f".  ■  t^  ••uiui  "Jm 
i'liii   •).']■().   .-!    i     /;-.-.>■;   .„.:>.::  U       uoirtrr  'ri^rft 

(•!  s.ii.-j'         ■.;;.!,,.   ■;      ,1  :•    \   ,    ■>;  r:v    :-    Jq  , /^W   Y->lfl 

■  i   ■   .:        '                         ir,.-  !iii  oil  ''I'.  'i;'l  Ml  ')n  tiv/oj) 

-  -V    '    .       '  ^'■:<-  ,P  ■'  .   '     .!. .-    ,.'    .■:.  :-;  niiiij  .. 

■  /;   -    .'  ■    ■■  ■     •       r.-;       li   r.w  ^:ih   fi/.,     .)1    [  ,i„..    ha.;   7/.. 7. 


!■,::'••  .;.  ■nil 


.'   ■       ;  ill.'/ 

;'l 

■'    .-i^"  :    ,1'j 

'it 

••lit   in 

i.'i' 

"   ■,■  r  i  )(ll  • 

/U- 

38  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

eral  Lee,  a  clescendeiit  of  a  hero  of  the  Aiuericau  Hevolution. 
and  a  ineniber  of  the  society  of  Colonial  Dames.  Her  mother 
was  the  wife  of  a  Choctaw  Indian  of  ambition  whom  the  early 
missionaries  sent  back  to  Virginia  to  school  and  who  after 
graduation  from  the  University  of  \'irginia  practised  law  in 
Richmond.  A  desire  to  learn  more  of  her  father's  people  and 
to  be  of  service  to  the  tribe  brought  lier  West.  She  came  l)y 
boat  up  the  Mississippi  and  Kcd  j'ivers  and  landed  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  present  site  of  Colbert.  After  a  few  years  she 
became  the  wife  of  Judge  ^Lason  and  they  lived  at  the  old 
trading  post  near  Fort  Towson. 

"]\[odesty  hardly  warrants  my  saying  more  about  my 
mother.  Histories  of  the  Cliortaw  people,  some  of  which  I 
will  one  day  present  to  you  in  connuenioration  of  this  day's 
event  in  my  own  life,  credit  her  with  e.\-cei)tional  graee  and 
charm,  witli  unusual  talent  and  tact.  ;ind  with  Ix-ing  among 
the  founders  of  social,  educational  and  religious  movements 
that  lia\e  ei'adicated  ])re.iudice  against  those  of  aboriginal  an- 
cestry and  established  for  the  Indians  an  imperishable  place 
among  the  exalted  races  of  undoTd)ted  xVmericanism. 

''^Ly  laud  inheritance  in  the  Choctaw  countr\-  is  intact. 
It  is  a  homestead  of  rich  grasses,  fragrant  flowers,  peri)etually 
running  .spring  Avaters,  a  fertile  valley  (.f  l)rown  soil,  and  a 
horizon  of  western  hills  wherein  abound  wild  turkey  and  deer. 
In  a  bit  of  white  oak  woodland  stands  the  house,  a  nobby  little 
log  and  chink  affair  with  a  i-hiuuiey  id'  white  stoiie,  a  widi' 
hall  that  leads  to  the  rock-riuuued  well  that  is  shelter.'d  by 
a  vine-covered  roid'  cnmiectiu--  with  the  dining  room  and 
kitchen  in  the  rear,  and  a  garden  (d'  roses  which  my  mother 
planted  before  the  front  porch.  Some  (L-i\-  we'll  jourui'V 
thither  and  I'l  tell  you  a  ti'ibal  legend  plotted  near  a  little 
waterfall  hid  away  in  my  mountains. 

"It  was  a  ci>alition  of  the  instincts  id'  the  two  races  that 
gave  me  life  that  led  me  to  abandon  the  homestead  and  traxcl 
outward  and  upward,  toward  the  ]n-aii-ies  and  the  plains,  the 
expansive  h<u-izons  and  the  setting  sun.  It's  the  instinct  of 
the  exidoier.  the  puiposefid  man.  rather  than  that  of  the  idle 
wanderer.    The  Indian  blood  directs  a  search  for  a  new  hap|.\- 

hunting  grouiul:  the  Caucasian  M 1  commands  its  adaptation 

to  usefulness. 


"If;'!  -j.'i  II,.  ■  '  <,u.;  JL';  iii.'':al   , 

•;!   '-^    .    ...     .;:  .1-..  I   .r.  ,.;..-. 


1'    ■y.i^'i.i  .      - 


•  -'-  ifl'i  i^^W     >) 


THE  STOHY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  :J9 

"Again,  ranch  life  appealed  tu  me.  llow  many  times  as  a 
small  boy  have  I  sat  during  long  evening  hours  and  listened  t<^ 
stories  of  adventure.  Our  Indian  lads  of  seventeen  and  up- 
ward went  out  green  and  ungainly  and  came  ))aek  veteran  cow- 
boys, and  the  experiences  they  related  of  life  on  the  ranges,  of 
roundups,  of  chuck  wagons,  of  following  the  herds  into  dis- 
tant States,  of  cutting  and  branding,  of  wild  stampedes,  and 
uf  farflung  social  life,  were  so  impelling  that  only  the  l)oy  at 
the  apron-string  could  resist  the  call  for  like  adventure. 

"At  nineteen  I  started  on  the  great  adventure.  On  these 
pleasant  prairies  and  in  thes^'  grassy  fertile  valleys  I  found  it. 
I  have  had  three  years  of  it  now.  1  have  learned  nearl}-  all 
there  is  to  kimw  about  operating  a  cattle  raneh.  The  teach- 
ings of  your  father  have  made  nie  skillful,  expert,  alert.  And 
I  enjoy  his  fullest  contidence.  He  trusts  me  al)sn]utely.  I 
am  the  boss  of  his  ranch,  the  puncher  in  chief  <>f  half  a 
hundred  cattle  hands.  Disposition  of  his  ten  thousand  eattle 
is  a  matter  for  my  own  judgment. 

"I  think  the  tiioughts  of  the  West.  I  speak  the  language 
of  the  West.  I  am  of  and  for  the  West.  If  I  were  the  great 
white  father  in  Washinuton  T  would  command  that  it  never 
be  changed.  It  has  a  civilization  of  its  own,  and  it's  good 
enough  to  endure.  This  doctrine  of  the  advance  of  civilization 
westward  is  puerile  l)unk.  These  prairies  w<'re  ci-eated  to 
support  this  life  of  the  ranch,  the  woods  t<'  support  that  other 
kind  of  life  that  is  described  to  us  as  civilization. 

"But  the  great  white  father,  whatever  may  be  his  attitude 
toward  us  of  the  ranch  country,  is  powerless  to  pei-petnate 
the  ranches.  Kings  of  the  cattle  country  have  iiia<le  vain  ap- 
peals in  Washinuton.  The  ranches  must  go.  Their  da.vs  are 
numbered.  We  are  told  that  we  nuist  move  farthei'  to  the 
west  with  our  hei'ds  or  lay  down  the  saddle  and  tlu'  spurs  and 
take  up  the  plow  and  the  hoe.  Hordes  shortly  will  be  ov.'r- 
running  our  ]»astures  and  I'eal  estate  dealei's  hanging  their 
signs  on  our  fence  posts.  And  \\e  ma>-  not  speculate  ran<loiiily 
if  we  close  our  eyes  and  draw  a  mental  jiicture  of  the  estab- 
lishment on  this  spot  of  a  great  metropolis,  -the  commercial 
center  of  the  ureat  Southwest."  '"  ,  ,,  . 


Touis  :\ra<on  disc(.urseil  calmly,  a^  if  love  and  the  win- 
ning of  a  heart  were  of  less  (■oii<e(|uencr  than  biography.     Ibit 


m!a.i:hi'  k^  ■:';i^it:>  :;!>iT 


:ft,;;  ,  t. 


1  .1:       '■'!     Mil    'to 


'I    ! 


40  THE  STORY  (,)F  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

he  spoke  el()(iiuaitly,  (•oiiraucously.  Perhaps  it  was  the  elu- 
qiienee  and  the'  coura.uc  of  the  Inideunxnn  h^adin^-  his  chosen 
into  the  unfokliny  ph^asures  of  thr  honeymoon  cottai^o. 


An  eavesdropi)in,i;-  niooii  pcejted  reticentl\-  out  of  the  Pot- 
tawotoniie  Connti'y.  The  colors  of  sunset  melted  into  the  last 
faint  ylow  of  a  dcpartiim'  luminary.  A  coyote  eried  plain- 
tively in  the  dusky  distance.  Hand  in  hand  the  lovers  walked 
slowly  along  the  narrow  p>atli  to  the  ranch  house. 


For  a  long-  time  a  sort  of  inijiersonal  friendship  existed 
between  ^Nlary  and  Louis.  She  had  spent  ouly  part  of  each 
year  on  the  ranch,  the  remainder  attending  school  in  ^lassa- 
chusetts.  Her  graduation  was  an  event  of  the  jjrevious  sjji'ing 
and  she  was  now  entering  an  autmnn  of  resj)ite,  a  ])art  of 
which  she  expected  t(j  devote  to  assend)ling  material  for  a 
book.  Teachers,  students  and  other  friends  in  the  East  during 
the  past  four  years  through  numberless  queries  about  her  life 
in  the  West  had  inspired  her  to  write  the  tales  she  told  tliem. 

But  her  plans  were  maturing  rebictantly.  J^ouis  ^fason. 
her  father's  ranch  l)oss,  had  come  donunantly  into  her  life 
these  last  few  months.  Xot  Louis  Mason  of  the  saddle  and 
spurs  and  not  the  handsome  yomig  chief  of  the  roundup,  but 
an  invisible  Loui^  Mason.  The  intluence  came  to  her  unbidden. 
It  was  a  friendship  that  came  not  from  intimate  associatiou. 
Ma-son  conceived  that  his  cnq)loyer  had  better  things  in  mind 
for  his  daughter  than  marrying  lier  to  a  halfbreed  boss  of 
a  few  hai)py-go-lucky  cowpuiichers.  Xoi'  did  .Mary  Lake 
venture  more  oveituics  than  a  ]>air  nl  prett>'  talkative  blue 
eyes.  Shi-  had  iiex'ei'  a<-companie(l  liim  on  the  roundup  nor 
dined  Mith  him  at  the  chuck  wagon  far  over  toward  the  < 'o- 
manclie  Country.  She  appropriated  all  the  best  elements  of 
frontier  life  without  eundating  i-andi  gii'ls  of  atmos]»heric 
westei'U  books.  Tloi'seltack  riding  was  neither  a  diversion  nor 
a  hobby.  Katlier  was  she  given  to  making  tlower  l)eds  and 
cultivating  iilants. 

Their  meeting  in  tlie  wond  was  not  ]»rearrange(l :  it  was 
]»urely  accidental.  They  chanced  to  meet  as  she  walkeil  f-.r 
pleasure  and  as  he  inspect. -d  tlic  back  fence  of  tli<'  small  horsi' 
pasture.    Inevitably  a  few  things  theretofurt'  uus[ioken  sliitjied 


h'  •■';•,'  (•', 


r  T 


.i4 


I  •)iiJ  4'Tai 


•  /  ) 

'*"■' 

■.•{■.1-  r// 
1  l^i:]    i: 

r.n    11 

.1!  •   Ml       .'.Tl.-;.-! 


i^l^i^p- 


^^^•^■■^ 

'"'''■•-Mm^p. 

'r:^^^'^^  -'^"^ 

l^r^:^^^^-^ 

^ 

' 

-.-■i 

'   /^  .  \ 

■.:'■■■ ..,.,-  -^i 

«£,.- 

:.^>^i«^A^v 

-^-*-'^^^--^-^'--fi-'-  -  ■■ 

OKKilXAL   SITK   OF  oKLAHtiMA  CITV 


THE  STOKY  OF  ()KLAII<_).MA  CITY  43 

over  twu  itairs  of  unsteady  lijis.  There  were  no  eciuivuratious 
when  the  iee  was  broken.  Thvy  talked  frankly  and  freely  and 
unrandomly,  and  when  it  was  all  told  and  words  were  searee 
and  intervals  of  silenee  grew  steadily  longer  and  more  im- 
pressive, Louis  asked  her  h>  l)ee<>nic  his  wife. 

It  was  the  day  after  the  next  that  JNlary  abandoned  con- 
vention. At  sunrise  she  climbed  Ijlitliely  into  the  seat  <>f  the 
buekboard  with  Mason  and  they  set  off  for  Shawnee  Town, 
where  Louis  was  to  dicker  for  a  herd  of  Texas  longhorns. 
Shtiwnec  Town  was  a  village  of  the  Pottawotomie  Country 
adjoining  the  L'nassigned  Territory  on  the  east.  The  pair  of 
sportive  bay  steeds,  sleek  and  fat  and  trimly  curried,  Ica^ied 
eagerly  to  the  collars  and  bounded  out  into  the  pasture  road. 

Koljert  Lake  Avaved  them  an  adi(.is  from  the  doorstejj  and 
returned  to  the  dining  room  to  finish  his  In-eakfast. 

"Whatever  can  have  liapi>encd  T'  asked  .Mrs.  Lake, 
"^iary  has  never  done  thinus  like  that.  Do  you  think  ranch 
life  is  making  a  tomboy  out  of  hei-.''"" 

"I  don't  know  what  has  hap])ened,"'  answered  her  hus- 
band, his  anuisement  unconcealed,  "but  the  girl's  acting  like 
a  regular  fellow.  It  pleases  me  a  lot,  too,  for  1  feared  that 
she'd  find  the  life  monotonous  and  want  to  go  away  to  the 
friends  she's  been  accustomed  to  in  the  East." 

''AVell,  Louis  will  take  good  care  of  her,  we  can  count  on 
that,"  said  ^Irs.  Lake.  "He  is  an  excellent  }-oung  man  and 
must  have  come  from  a  very  superior  Indian  family.  I'd  as 
leave  trust  her  with  Louis  as  with  her  own  l»rother." 

They  lingered  at  the  table.  The  feeding  season  had  not 
,yet  begun,  for  tlie  pastures  of  luxuriant  gi'ass  wnv  \'et  pala- 
tal)le.  Contracts  had  been  negotiated  for  a  winter's  supjily 
of  cottonseed  meal,  wliieli  eauie  fi'om  settlements  in  the  ( 'lii.-k- 
asaw  Country  an<l  the  rieli  I)hiek  hmd  cotton  belt  (d'  Xortii- 
eastern  Texas,  and  the  hd»or  of  reiiairing  windbreaks  and 
fences  in  advance  of  the  first  chilling  ••norther"  of  the  season 
was  well  under  way. 

Robert  Lake,  a  grey-haired  man  of  tift.w  whom  the  tonic 
of  the  frontier  had  kei)t  iihysically  superb  during  twent\--rive 
years  of  his  life  upon  it,  faeed  the  gravest  ])i'oblem  of  his 
Inisiness  career.  Singularly  for  one  of  his  kind,  his  con- 
cern was  less  over  the  }iossibility  of  a  financial  loss  than  the 


,    i'    'iv/   i.rf  ■:' 


U7/')l      )'•.'!/ 


44  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

virtual  t-crtainty  of  liis  sunciidci-inu  a  Itnsincss  tor  which 
he  was  specially  talnited.  to  which  he  had  dcvotc(l  a  (]uartcr 
century  of  his  maturity,  and  in  which  he  found  iilcasure,  to 
his  OAVii  way  of  thinking-,  incouipaiahU'  in  any  other  avocation 
of  the  West. 

It  was  certainly  a  matter  of  oidy  a  few  years  until  the 
cattlemen  occujjyinu  the  L'nassiuned  Territoi'y  of  what  men 
were  now  calliny  Oklahoma  would  ha\'e  to  move  out.  Fer- 
tility of  the  S(hl  had  heeu  discovered.  That  h  was  more  val- 
uable for  agrieultuial  than  urazim;-  jiuriioses  had  been  im- 
pressed upon  officials  in  \VashinL;tou.  And  not  the  least 
consequential  of  those  who  e\-erlastin.i:ly  stressed  the  fact  wei'e 
officials  of  the  two  I'ailroads  that  had  been  iiermitted  to  enter 
the  Indian  Territory.  The  railroads  maintained  a  ])owerful 
lobby  in  the  capital.  A  lobby  of  almost  equal  iniiuence  was 
maintained  there  also  by  an  <ir,^anization  (d'  cattlemen  whose 
herds  ranged  over  the  Cherokee  Outlet,  the  Cheyenne  and 
Arapahoe  and  the  Kiowa  and  ( 'omandie  reser\-ations.  It  wa-; 
evident  that  eventually  the  cattlemen  would  lose.  Boomers 
were  attemptinu-  to  colonize  the  territory.  Time  and  again  their 
little  bands  had  been  driven  out  by  (iovernment  officials  and 
regulars  of  the  Uiuted  States  army,  and  each  time  Wa-^hing- 
ton  was  mi>re  nearly  cou\-ini-ed  that  tlu'  territory  sliould  be 
divided  into  homesteads  and  sold  to  farmers. 

As  a  matter  of  fact.  Robert  hake  hinr-'elf  had  settled  here 
with  a  view  of  accjuiring  a  fortune  out  (d'  the  cattle  industry 
and  enjoying  it'in  later  years  as  a  resident  id'  a  modern  couuuu- 
nity.  The  lands  he  grazed  were  leased  from  Indian  natious 
and  he  paid  for  grazing  rights  l>y  the  head  rather  than  by 
the  number  of  aci'es  c.iveivd  by  the  herds.  Hut  he  had  l)e- 
come  enamored  of  the  business.  The  absti'act  thing  of  th(^ 
business  itself  was  iiot  represented  by  the  thousands  (d'  dol- 
lars, net  and  clean,  that  lay  to  his  civdit  in  l»anks  of  the  States. 
The  life  of  the  ranch  was  tlu'  life  for  Robert  hake.  Sugges- 
tions of  a  I'cvival  of  the  purpose  tor  which  he  came  oi'iginally 
were  innvelcome.  These  suggestious  ^\•ere  comiuL;-  more  fre- 
quently now  and  Lal-;e  foun<l  it  inq>erative  that  he  lieuin  mak- 
ing plans  for  an  entirelv  different  soi't  (d'  a  life. 

"AVe  are  here  by  every  ri-ht  of  hiw.""  said  hake,  "and  by 
honest  (dfoi-t  we  have  built  up  a  little  fortune.     Dut  talk  of 


■t  .■y':r<.y,-,li\   on.'  ■';   v,;i   :i-ii/l//   ,Ji  im,.  •■    n 

.i  .7/  -.,rll  V) 

a,'. If  7f;il          ^     _i  ',,.     :'i_'   ,    ':";;^-  :'!',                            ;  >w  .j-tar.ijJu-j 

-:..         M^    '  .     .    ■;    ■'„;.■;        '■          <  --■,■  -r    .1   !:.;■•'   l;.-   •  ^    i,    /tih; 

MV/    ^  ;   ;i     Mi,    ;,.■,..:-.,•!-,         .;:,  M.l  J'     '■»(  ;[f //  Or^oilfli ''>..!,  f-))  Ip'iaitO;; 
<u.  !•■.-/-,    I,    1-.    -   "■      ■■      -U.      ,    ,,;■     ■,;.]■          .•.•,t:;r,(^   ,■      1,  ;i    •„[? 


'■  ■!-  in;  ^!    '.n't 

\  "•*.    :."tnf^.(rfi 

■.:  .  ■  !!.■  ■rv/r 

.   '/  "I-   !inv)ti)> 

■■1,.  :'•''"' 

ri' ■!';■■  t-;')fi(M{ 

THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  lITV  45 

ejection  is  liecoiniug  ^ciieial  in  Kansas  and  Texas.  An  or.ler 
to  move  is  likely  to  come  any  day  now.  Do  you  i-m-all  the  hii; 
swarthy  stranger  from  Texas  that  came  iq>  tlic  Arhuckic  Trail 
last  sprin--  and  camped  in  tlie  pasture  down  on  Lii;htnin,u- 
Cieek  !  He  was  an  emissary  of  the  enemies  (d'  the  cattlemen, 
in  fact  a  pt'rsonal  representati^■l■  of  Colonel  ( 'ai'[ienter. " 

"Colonel  Carpenter  .''■■  exclaimed  Mis.  Lake.  "ANdiy,  I 
thought  Carpenter  was  put  in  jail,  that  we  had  heard  tin-  la^t 
of  the  man." 

"Not  in  jail"  replied  lu'r  hushand.  "hut  at  lilterty  and 
again  very  acti\e.  Using  the  same  tactics  that  he  used  in  the 
Black  Hills  colonization  scheme." 

It  was  Col.  C.  C.  Carpenter  Avho  induced  Lake  to  enter 
the  cattle  husiness  in  the  Unassigned  Territory.  They  had 
met  as  very  \-oung  men  in  (^'hicago.  while  Lake  was  yet  a 
student  iii  the  Univeisity  <d'  Illinois,  and  Lake  ha<l  prondsed 
to  make  the  adventure  after  graduation.  They  met  fi-e([Uently 
during  the  succeeding  few  years  hut  whatever  of  friendship 
they  formed  Lake  severed  when  he  learned  (d:  the  (diaracter 
of  Carpenter. 

"Here's  the  latest  aliout  Car}ieider."  said  Lake.  He  re- 
turned to  the  Invakfast  table  with  a  late  cojjy  of  a  St.  Louis 
newspaper.  It  contained  excerpts  from  an  Indian  service 
inspector's  report  to  AVashington.  and  was  written  in  Coffey- 
ville,  Kan. 

"Carjienter  is  here."  wiote  the  insjiector.  "Ih'  is  the  same 
bragging,  lying  nuisance  that  f  knew  him  to  l)e  seventeen 
years  ago.  when  he  infested  Fremont's  (piarters.  Hi'  will 
not  put  his  head  in  danger  by  eidering  the  Territory.  It  is 
a  idty  that  the  law  could  not  hold  him  a^  a  conspirator  against 
the  public  peace.  "  "  ■''  He  came  to  Indcin-ndence.  some 
twenty  miles  from  here,  at  the  end  of  a  little  spur  of  the  rail- 
road. The  merchants  agieetl  to  give  him  .^odi)  when  his  first 
party  came  and  sl.OOl)  more  when  I.OMi)  cinim-nnts  had  been 
mo\ed  into  the  I'eri-itoiy  by  him.  He  could  not  satisfy  the 
parties  that  he  had  a  ])arty  at  all.  They  r(d'n<ed  to  ]K\y  the 
first   instalment  and   he  hd't  that   plaee   foi'  this,  saying  the 

Independence  ]ieol)le  Imd  gone  b;ick  on   jlilll." 

"And  last  week,"  eontiinied  Lake.  "I  was  again  rennnded 
of  the  insecurity  of  "Ui-  position  by  the  pres^.nc,'  on  the  ranuc 


>i        >h     01     :v 


I  ,    1(1,   r,:',    ■  i[       \  A-.  ,    ',) 


t    'I   •     I  ■  (., 


46  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

of  a  party  of  men,  wuiiieu  and  cliildruu,  who  traveled  out  here 
by  ox  wagon  from  the  Kiekapoo  Country.  They  made  camp 
on  Deep  Fork  and  when  I  asked  them  their  mission  a  spokes- 
man replied  that  they  had  conic  to  select  homesteads  and  do 
some  farming.  I  re])(>rted  their  presence  to  Washington  and 
President  Hayes  issued  a  pruelamation  warning  all  persons 
to  desist  from  intruding  on  Indian  lands.  ]3ut  they  swi  >re  they 
had  come  to  stay  when  I  told  them  of  the  proelaniation,  and 
added  that  others  (.f  their  kind  were  to  follow. 

"This  Oklahoma  AVar  Chief  also  is  causing  embarrassment 
to  the  cattlemen.  It  is  a  little  newspaper  that  insists  upon  the 
country  being  opened  to  settlement  by  farmers." 

He  read  from  a  recent  number  of  the  War  Chief:  •'The 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  complains  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States  that  'intruders'  and  'trespassers'  are  settling 
on  Indian  lands.  The  President  thereupon  (without  inquiry 
as  to  whether  such  alleged  settlement  be  within  the  limits  of  a 
regularly  established  Indian  reservation  or  merely  on  the  un- 
appropriated pul)lic  domain)  orders  th(^  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior to  use  the  army  in  removing  intruders.  ^  *  ^  Cat- 
tlemen  can  pass  unmolested,  Init  settlers  are  all  rcmo^•e<l.  Im- 
plements are  destroyed,  provisions  confiscated,  men  sometimes 
temporarily  placed  under  arrest.  l)ut  never  tried.  "     * 

Xo  question  was  ever  asked  as  to  the  propriety  of  sucli  policy. 
The  President  relies  inqjlicitly  on  representations  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Interior,  and  the  Secretary  of  AVar  has  no  choice 
l)ut  to  carry  out  instructions  of  constituted  authority.  -  *  * 
The  suH'erhig  settlers  have  no  ivdi'css." 

Lake  was  not  comforted  by  uiiHtar\-  movements  oi-  reiieated 
pronouncements  of  jiolicy  from  Washington.  lie  could  fore- 
see dismeml)erment  of  this  enqnre  much  nioic  dearly  than  any 
man  who  simply  theorized  on  abstract  ]irinci]i]es  of  right  or  j 

justice  or  policy.  1 

Through  the  Lake  rau<-li.  somcriuies  k-uown  as  the  Circle  ; 

Bar,  the  North  ( 'anadian  Rixer  made  a  crooked  thread.    Over  \ 

the  western  i)rairies  it  cut  a  relatively  e\-en  course,  liut  when  j 

it   touched   the    outijosts    of   a    cross-timbers    re-ion,    which  \ 

rinnned  the  western  slope,  of  tlie  great  anticlinal  I'euu.-yhania.  ': 

strui-ture,  it  wriggled  itself  into  knots  and  ziu/.a-ged  its  chan- 
nel, therebv  creatinu'  irreLiularlv  arched  sections  of  valle\-s.  ' 


i;:>    .1. 


:10<T        i( 


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■11:    .;:;;) 


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.^..■■■■.,^.-.    ..■..»^l>,.u^^-l,.,j|,^y;|.^(y,|yj^^ 


THE  STOUY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  49 

lu  cue  of  these  sections  Rol)ei-t  Lake  had  estal)lislied  his 
bi-aiidiiig-  pen.  Bade  of  tlie  pen  and  frinpug  the  red  baulc  of 
the  stream  tlirived  a  little  forest  of  small  ash,  oak,  f*<;)ttou"\vo( >d 
and  elm.  In  the  early  years  of  his  occupation  of  the  ranch 
Robert  Lake  often  imagined  it  a  place  of  retreat  for  tlie  chil- 
dren and  the  weary  of  a  great  city.  If  thirty  years  later  he 
had  returned,  the  joyous  offspring  of  a  new  popuhuion  doiilit- 
less  would  have  proffered  granddad  a  slide  for  life  down  tlie 
incline  of  a  sht>ot-the-shoots  that  had  been  dedicated  to  juve- 
nile recreation  in  this  identical  little  wood  by  the  rivei'. 

On  the  upper  side  of  the  cross-timljers  pasture  and  about 
four  miles  north  of  the  ranch  house  three  small  streams  with 
insignificant  sources  somewhere  out  in  the  old  l)uff'alo  lands 
came  into  confluence,  and  a  few  hundred  feet  east  of  this  point 
Lake  had  constructed  a  small  dam.  L'pstream  was  a  long  and 
narrow  excavation  made  to  receive  and  retain  waters  eipial 
to  the  ability  of  the  dam  to  hold  in  check.  These  streams  fur- 
nished clear  water  that  was  quite  superior  to  the  nuiddy  liciuid 
of  the  Canadian,  and  here  the  horses  and  the  young  spring 
calves  cpienched  their  thirst.  Eobert  Lake  pictured  land- 
scaping possibilities  here— a  great  lake  with  long,  narrow, 
meandering  inlets,  furnishing  shady  retreats  and  pictures(iue 
nooks  and  little  wooded  islands  created  by  canals  cut  from  one 
iidet  to  another.  Could  he  have  returned  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury later  and  looked  ujiou  this  Belle  Isle,  perhaps  he  would 
have  sincerely  repented  that  liis  once  genuine  devcition  to  prog- 
ress departed  with  the  passing  years. 

'  On  this  raneh  the  last  buffalo  of  the  midlands  of  the  West 
was  slain.  The  animal  had  strayed  away  from  a  herd  dri\"en 
out  of  the  Wichita  ^lountains  and  sought  refuge  in  the  Keeclii 
Hills.  A  cowboy  dressed  the  lii(h'  and  it  became  a  rug  in  the 
big  living  room  of  the  Lake  home. 

Rainfall  was  regular  and  of  sufficient  (juantity  to  make 
vegetation  in  glorious  abundance.  In  midsunnuer  sage  grass 
in  the  valleys  and  the  lower  slopes  of  the  rolling  hills  grew 
nearly  as  high  as  the  knee  of  a  man  in  the  saddle.  On  prairie 
eminences  and  in  shallower  soil  mes(iuite  grass  thrived.  ^\'ild 
flowers  of  a  hundred  shades  and  forms  smiled  in  early  sprinu'. 
splashing  the  hillsides  with  a  million  fragrant  bouquets.   Out- 


I'K       '  ■(.  f  ..:n7-.-r  U> 


'lL'..t;l'-    :   /    r.Vn       •Mil 


iM-!!;Vi;.B. 


:f      •  — .    ^  '     .;!■  ,     ■   ,    ,   ii:i,   -:.:..''     ;(if    \o 


i     •.!! 


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.(.  .,  i't  .11  ;■.!--    -'l:-// 

.;ni  ;/.,-,    /.       .Villi  I 

-    .11    luft.  *^')  'I'     '.liill-) 


50  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

spread  landscapes  of  trees  and  streams  and  lulls  and  valleys 
and  grass  and  tluw.Ts  were  clothed  with  licauty  into  the  dim 
blue  of  the  distant  horizon.  A\'cstwa)-d  from  the  ranch  house 
the  eye  detected  no  si,i;n  or  symbol  of  artiticiality.  It  looked 
upon  the  big  untdoois  of  (iod's  country,  a  land  of  perpetual 
splendor,  sutficiently  \-aried  in  topography  to  furnish  inspira- 
tion to  the  elect  of  the  ]iainters'  craft.  Xo  suggestion  of  the 
desert,  so  illustrative  of  the  West.  East  of  the  land  of  the 
cactus  and  the  haggard,  drouth-blighted  mesquite.  East  of 
the  monotony  of  unending  le\els.  Backward  from  the  re- 
gions of  gyp,  backward  into  the  everlasting  sources  of  crystal 
pure  water. 

"It's  a  wonderful  country,"  said  Robert  Lake. 

"And  it's  our  country,"  s])iike  his  wife.  She  loved  this 
West.  She  entered  it  protesting  as  a  bride.  But  it  wooed  her 
into  adoration.  The  floAvers  and  the  hills  were  hers,  the  trees 
and  the  rippling  water,  the  mellow  sunsets  and  even  the  sjjec- 
tacularly  dramatic  electrical  storms  of  April  and  Xovember. 
She  was  unforgiving  of  intruders.  Their  motives  she  inter- 
preted as  ulterior.  An  idea  of  the  greater  good  she  could 
not  entertain  with  this  deep-seated  prejudice  against  them. 

"Not  our  country  but  God's  countr}-,"  her  husband  mildly 
corrected  her.  They  had  sat  long  in  thougld  and  discussion. 
Mid  morning  slipped  quickly  upon  them. 

"We  won't  leave  it,"  he  concluded.  "A\'hatever  happens. 
we'll  stay.  If  it  is  opened  to  settlers  we'll  l)id  them  welcome 
and  divide  the  sunshine  anil  the  flowers  with  them.  We'll  l)e 
big-hearted,  liberal-liAnded — and.  ( ieoi-giana,  don't  }'ou  think 
we'd  enjoy  having  some  neighbors  again  ?" 

Georgiana  Lake  refound  her  girlhood  and  the  good  and 
loyal  friends  (d'  other  years.  She  suddenly  recollected  that 
she  had  been  lonesome  many,  many  times,  that  she  luul  en- 
dured adversities,  that  she  had  surrendered  maii\-  <>t  the  liner 
things  of  life  to  live  this  sti-ing  of  years  in  the  West  with  the 
man  she  lovetl.  So  she  found  some  joy  in  tears  and  she  wept 
them  unaljashed.  And  Memory  was  her  jiensive  Ruth  that 
went  "gleaning  the  silent  Helds  (d' •■hildhood"  to  find  the --shat- 
tered grain  still  golden  and  the  nioi-niiiL;  siiuliuht  fresh  and 
fair." 


■W'   /,'^,' 


mot;--   ']i'f 


i!    . '  I  -I.  >n;.i   ';.,;i;  -tsr;  ■  >■  '>.  c"' 
'III*;'  i'-Tffjr  'Hit    ^  ',.   '■■(:y/;-'V/ 
;  It  .:'iv|  't-'l.n,:'   <^  .n;,-.,..  .'1^ 


;7-  ?f;ii} 


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.■'•■  i:      i   •  .I'.ri 

■  :  ,1        :'■:  [tik 


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h   !■,.  .  M  ,,,i. 


THE  STORY  OK  OKI.AIIOMA  (  ITY  51 

►Sliawiiee  Town.  Louis  and  ,Mary  found  a  scene  id'  unusual 
ai-ti\ity.  Its  sandy  little  streets  were  trod  by  men  of  foreign 
lialutation.  They  were  strong-  men,  with  sunbrowned  faces 
and  bared  forearms.  They  wore  wide-rininicd  hats,  such  as 
most  men  wore  in  Arkansas,  and  stoggy  crashing  boots  with 
pantaloons  crammed  inside,  as  was  the  fasluon  in  the  black- 
lands  of  Texas.  They  carried  murderous  looking  revolvers 
in  scabbards  at  their  hips  and  the  stocks  of  long  i)epiiery 
whiles  in  their  bands.  They  came  out  of  wagons  covered  with 
sheets  that  were  weather  stained  and  nuiddy  and  that  wilted 
like  soiled  linens  over  the  saggy  bows  at  the  rear.  Tlieir 
wagons  were  drawn  by  oxen.  Some  most  heavily  loaded  were 
hitched  to  two  or  three  teams  of  oxen.  In  the  wagons  were 
all  manner  of  beds  and  boxes  and  implements,  and  above  them, 
their  bonneted  heads  protruding  into  the  sunshine,  scores  of 
tired-looking  women  and  dirty-faced  children. 

Fifty  such  outfits  were  halted  in  the  sandy  streets  of  old 
Shawnee  Town.  They  had  halted  for  provisions,  to  rest  the 
teams,  to  get  directions  for  traveling,  to  find  a  convenient 
camping  place,  and  to  give  the  men  an  opportunity  to  recon- 
noiter. 

The  faces  of  the  men  were  not  displeasing,  yet  one  could 
easily  imagine  they  carried  a  distrustful  cast  of  sternness. 
Undoubtedly  they  were  purposeful  faces.  But  they  were  not 
the  purposeful  faces,  for  instance,  of  marshals  of  the  Terri- 
tory who  traveled  in  groups  with  like  firearms  and  carried 
Winchesters  on  their  saddles.  They  were  not  pleasure-seek- 
ers'; they  were  movers.  Their  equipment  diffei'ed  decidedly 
from  that  of  the  average  covci'cd  wagon  of  that  day.  which 
carried  summer  tourists  who  had  laid  by  ci-o]is  and  were 
bound  for  the  home  of  dad  or  to  visit  "wife's  kin  folks." 

"Like  as  not  they're  goin'  to  take  the  old  man's  ranch," 
the  trading-post  proprietor  said  in  answer  to  l^ouis"  interroga- 
tion. ''They're  headed  for  Oklahoma  or  bust,  they  tell  me. 
They  say  there's  a  million  a(^res  of  gov'ment  laud  out  there 
and  that  it  belongs  to  the  peoph^  of  the  country  and  not  to  a 
few  cattle  kings." 

"That's  a  big  country."  said  ^Nlason.  "Did  they  indicate 
where  they  calculated  to  stop  ?" 

"They  have  had  a  scout  over  the  country  and  lu^  jtidvcd 


\f.im'rS'Ay  •■!?'■   Yii'^T. 


illj 


:i  ;..ii(i-i-.     v" 


■•     .,,    ■'  ,   ;,-,;;•'!);}.  Jill,    y  ■:.hr,'.    -(fL.!..'.l^br;.' 


'I'"' 


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!l-i",j^   !)   Im:,;  -j/n. 


52  Tin-:  STOKY  UF  (tKLAlIOMA  CITY 

'em  a  likely  place.  This  scout  uu-t  'em  here,  and  one  of  'em 
said  he  tuld  'em  ahout  souie  tine  land  on  the  Canadian  River 
near  the  Lake  ranch." 

"Danmation  I"  exploded  Lonis  Mason.  "Who's  the  ea})- 
tain  of  the  bnncli .'" 

The  merchant  indicated  the  man  to  whom  the  scont  had 
reported. 

"You  wait  here  in  tlie  store,  dear."  he  said  to  Mary.  "I  "11 
see  what  these  galoots  are  ni>  to." 

"So  you're  the  anessenger  of  the  cattle  kings,  are  you.^"  • 

smiled  a  I)ig  l)ullyragging  sort  of  an  Arkansan   after   Ma-  f 

son  had  inti'odnced  himself.    "  I  'lowed  as  how  the  sharks'd  he  I 

sendiu'  a  delegation  out  to  meet  ns."  L 

"Xo  delegation  at  all."  ^lason  hastened  to  assure  him. 
"We  didn't  know  you  were  coming,  or  we'd  have  killed  the 
fatted  calf."  *  ^  t 

^[asoll  knew  tlieir  kind,    lie  spoke  their  language  on  occa-  | 

sion.  He  knew  their  maimer  of  living,  their  haldts.  They 
were  not  greatly  uidike  the  whites  and  halfbreeds  of  his  own 
nation,  for  the  whites  of  his  nation  liad  come  princi[>ally  from 
the  land  of  red  apples,  sassafras  tea.  and  lunil)er  camps. 

"AVe  didn't  expect  no  reception  this  fur  out,"  big  Bill 
Bryant  laughed  in  return,  "and  neither  did  we  look  fur  a  \ 

Injun  to  head  the  receiition   committee.     But  now  that  we  ! 

have  met,  what  can  we  do  fur  you,  how  are  all  the  folks  and  1 

what's  the  chance  to  get  a  gallon  o"  moonshine  ?"  | 

"Where   do  you  expect  to  stop  in  Oklahoma  I"   Mason  j 

asked,  driving  at  once  to  the  issue.  i 

"That  depends  on  tlie  gi'ass  and  water  and  the  lay  of  the      .         \ 
land,"  answered  Bryant.     "Von  see  we  are  a(l\ised  by  our 
lawyers  that  the  whole  countr_\-  is  subject  to  settlement  and  i 

that  the  early  liirds  may  have  their  choice.     We  calculate  to    .  ; 

take  the  best  we  can  rind."  i 

"I  fear  your  legal  a<lvice  is  unsound,"  argued  Mason,  good 
naturedly,  "but  that's  not  here  uoi'  there.     Other  }ieople  in  j 

Oklahoma  have  rights  that  nmst  be  res]iected.     Vou  certainly  ' 

do  not  expect  to  tre-^pass  upon  lands  occupied  by  othei's.  foi- 
if  }-ou  hav(^  rights.  the\-  undoubtedly  have  the  same  I'ights." 

"We  don't  allow  as  how  we'll  have  to  do  anv  shootin',"  the 


/J    1!,   :;m:  I.     ) 


,.,!'•// 


U|  ,  •!   "'  lh'\  ;   .U  I;. .(.I** 


;  i':i! 


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7/ 


THE  ST()KV  OF  OKLAHOMA  (  ITV  53 

brawny  one  replied,  "but  we  eouie  prepared.  Wild  Injiuis 
might  be  abroad,  Vdu  know." 

Bryant  laughed  eoar.sely.  lie  was  sagely  if  indelieately 
evasive.  Mason  pereeivetl  that  he  enuld  make  no  progiess  in 
an  exchange  of  provincial  hall-st'ridus  i>leasantries.  lie 
wished  Bryant  and  his  crowd  luck  and  turned  toward  the 
backboard  and  the  waiting  girl  with  apparent  good  humor. 

They  drove  hurriedly  westward  (Ait  of  the  village,  Louis 
silent  and  thoughtful.  Unmindful  of  the  seriousness  of  events 
rapidly  approaching  and  suppressing  an  alert  curiosity,  ^lary 
])ermitted  the  silence  to  continue  until  Louis  ended  it  sud- 
denly as  if  a  conclusion  had  been  I'eached. 

"We're  going  to  have  serious  trouble,"  he  told  the  girl. 

"Trouble!"  she  exclaimed.  ''You  don't  mean  that  those 
movers  arc  thieves  or  outlaws  ? " 

"Worse  than  that,"  he  replied;  "they  are  highwaymen 
who  take  your  possessions  in  broad  daylight." 

Then  he  told  her  a  story  of  the  long  fight  l»y  heads  of  c(.lo- 
nization  schemes  and  railroad  lobbies  against  the  cattlemen 
of  tlie  Unassigned  Territory.  He  told  of  the  powerful  intlu- 
ences  brought  to  bear  in  Washington,  of  the  building  of  a 
mountain  of  i^rejudice  against  grazing  lessees,  of  expeditions 
of  land  seekers  and  their  ejection  by  United  Statt'S  soldiers; 
in  short,  of  a  succession  of  events  that  had  transpired  during 
the  recent  few  years  on  the  frontier.  This  infoiniation  the 
parents  of  oNIiss  Lake  had  concealed  from  her. 

"The  days  of  the  cattlemen  are  numl)ered,"  he  concluded. 
"This  gang  at  Shawnee  Town  probably  will  not  trouble  us, 
for  I  Jcnow  how  to  deal  with  them  pcai'cably;  but  the  effort 
they  make,  which  is  likely  to  end  in  failure,  will  only  add 
another  link  to  the  chain  of  events  that  eventually  will  induce 
Congress  to  let  the  farmers  in." 

Conversation  on  the  return  journey  was  hedgy.  It  had 
a  tone  of  depression  and  was  s])oradic.  Whatever  there  was 
of  it  interrui)ted  the  liuilding  of  two  castles  in  the  air.  Urowu 
and  gold  veneered  the  shaggy  tinibei'.  The  winding  narrow 
road,  of  red  clay  on  the  long  slopi's  and  brown-sugar  sand  in 
the  endless  succession  of  jjarallel  depressions,  unobstructed  by 
fences,  fringed  by  l>rown  grasses  and  shaded  here  and  there 
l)y  frowsy  tree  tops,  was  the  iirinci])al  hiuhway  between  the 


)m:  li-j ) 


...       'I      !>'.([   >1! 


■     •    ■■  ■;      :li   .  !;,j-   Mil 


i''     ,•;  I-'  ;>/    •.■■x.:\  y.  '\<. 

.,.'1     ',•,  ■    :■■■■         ■     *!'    I"     'v|<- 


54  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIOAIA  CITY 

reservations  uf  the  Five  Civilized  Tribes  and  the  Unassigned 
Territory.  It  was  a  cunntry  tit  to  grow  frnits  and  vegetables, 
peanuts  and  watermelons,  and  its  wrinkled  surface,  the  char- 
acter of  its  stone  and  tlu'  dip  of  its  depressions  indicated  hid- 
den ijools  of  natiiral  gas. 

Louis  Mason  reached  the  raneh  without  a  detinite  light, 
for  the  gray  haze  of  the  future,  ^iary  Lake,  mindful  of  an 
increasing  devotion  to  J^ouis.  envisioned  contentment  beyond 
the  horizon,  but  found  only  tangles  of  briars  in  the  mental 
landscape  of  the  day. 

"We'll  find  a  way,  little  girl,"  he  whispered  to  her  in  the 
starlight  by  the  yard  gate.  "I  lo\-e  you  beyond  words  and 
that  love  shall  be  my  guide,  my  insjiiration,  my  comfort,  until 
the  stoim  clouds  arc  passed  and  my  joy  and  my  life  when  the 
fair  days  come  again.*" 

"It's  good  to  love,"  breathed  ^lary.  She  snuggled  momen- 
tarily in  his  arms  and  her  rubicund  lips  welcomed  the  warm 
touch  of  his.  "You'll  find  a  way,  Louis.*'  she  said.  "Good 
night." 

Events  of  the  succeeding  mouths  are  chapters  of  the  dra- 
matic history  of  the  Unassigiied  Territory  just  prior  to  the 
passage  by  congress  of  a  bill  |)roviding  for  the  opening  of  the 
Territory  to  homestead  scttlmient.  They  included  the  migra- 
tion of  the  cattle  kings,  dispdssessiou  of  the  ranges,  removal 
of  property,  stationing  of  soldiers  along  the  borders,  ejection 
of  persons  who  were  called  "sooners,"  and  eventually  the 
firing  of  military  guns  that  signaled  the  beginning  of  the 
greatest  rush  for  land  in  all  history. 

Robert  Lake  was  among  the  first  to  pull  stake.  lie  sold 
his  cattle,  deli\'ered  liis  home  temporarily  into  })ossession  of 
the  Government  and  unAcd  his  family  and  household  goods 
into  the  Pottawotomir  ( 'ouutrv. 

"AVhether  in  the  futurr  it  may  be  called  an  honor  or  a 
dishonor  for  one  to  Ite  known  as  a  sooiici-."'  he  said,  ""we  shall 
at  least  lie  innuinic  fioni  the  diai-gr  of  being  obstructionists." 
inied  tliem.  counting  tliis  the  last 
And  when  they  were  settled  in  an 
at  Sliawuce  Town  and  the  niornivc^' 
ng.  he  rode  away  tlirough  the  open 
ills  Indian  home. 


Louis  ^lason  ac 

coUll 

service  to  his  eniph 

iver. 

Indian-country  Id-- 

cabin 

of  a  third  day  was 

(lawn 

forest  in  tlie  (lii'ecti( 

m  of 

bill  '•         Li 


'>;   !^.   I 


tr.sJ'  :■;! 


,7i 


6"^  -  Sh 


7* 

!       .  ^  r^' 

'/■ 

Sf 

',  .1 

\      ""'■-/f 

''":^.   :  '■•   .     :'--^C •■;-'. 

.->, 

-■\:?^:'^::;5:-'' " 

■■1 

i 

..J 

TWO   AXU   A   BKAUTV    SPOT 


A 

\ 

^   ^ 

- 

^ 

•"■*^!'i 

- 

j 

"V        '    ' 

' 

- 

1 

*"     ^x 

* 

lL^2^_       . 

-_    J 

J 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  57 

Kdlx'i-t  Lake  particip;it<'(l  in  the  run  for  lands,  an  event 
trauspii iiij;-  within  a  yi-ar  at'tei-  his  depai'tnre  from  the  ranch. 
He  rude  his  swiftest  Imrse  and  was  e(pnp[ted  with  cam})  ^lara- 
phernalia  and  biscnits  and  hac'.n.  I-^xcry  (hiy  ini-  three  weeks 
before  the  run  he  had  exercised  himself  and  his  horse  in  prep- 
aration for  an  endurance  test  that  not  even  the  most  t'xpe- 
rienced  cow  punchers  ever  had  had  to  underuo. 

He  waited  with  the  hundred  tliousand  at  tlie  eastern  line 
of  the  promised  land  and  when  the  cannon  boomed,  his  spir- 
ited mount  charged  majesti<-ally  through  the  quickly  dis- 
arranged lines  of  horsemen.  The  country  was  familiar  to 
Lake.  He  knew  the  short-cut  routes  of  the  timljerland.  and 
the  crossal)le  fording  places  of  the  large  streams.  He  ti'av- 
eled  many  miles  alone  over  a  southward  swing,  correct  in  the 
assumption  that  the  hordes  would  center  fire  to  the  west  or 
shoot  diagonally  to  the  northward.  Pie  conserved  horseflesh 
and  human  strength,  a  precaution  that  never  entered  tlie 
minds  of  thousands  of  eager  riders.  Pie  rode  at  a  moderate 
speed  over  the  middle  section  of  the  route,  stopi>ing  occa- 
sionally to  let  his  steed  Idow  and  cool.  He  rode  at  last  tri- 
umphantly upon  the  old  ranch.  South  of  the  river  he  staked  a 
claim,  with  not  a  man  to  contest  him.  When  he  was  fully 
established,  with  mount  habiliments,  a  frying  })an  and  a  few 
victuals  as  wherewithal  of  settlement  })roof.  he  peered  through 
the  trees  to  the  northward.  Pie  ))eheld  the  cloth  and  pine 
beginnings  of  a  city,  outspread  over  the  near  environs  of  the 
ranch  house. 

The  relative  (juietude  of  his  virgin  homestead  lasted  for 
but  a  few  minutes,  for  out  of  the  Chickasaw  ( 'ountry  cami'  a 
horde  of  mad  men  racing  northward.  Tree  high  rose  the 
creamv  clouds  of  dust  beaten  out  of  the  grass-caipeted  lands 
by  the  steeled  hoofs  of  ten  thousand  snorting,  pantinu'.  sweat- 
ing steeds.  Heavy  thunders  rose  out  of  the  mighty  cavalcade. 
The  vanguard  burst  out  of  a  lower  line  of  timber  upon  the 
prairie  valley  of  the  Lake  homestead. 

Lake  watched  their  api»roach  eagerly,  lie  sensed  as  an 
observer  the  almost  savage  wildness  of  theii-  pi'otagonistic 
desires.  Snddeidy  the>'  were  u]ion  him.  '{'heir  dust  enveloped 
him  so  that  he  was  hid  from  the  si-ht  of  the  I'ear  divisions. 
He  tied  to  a  laruc  elm  tree  twentv  rods  awav  for  iirotection. 


It  ['1:1      y.i!  !uin   I'u)!)  j-s-Mtiv/' 

('    •'  .-'  -M!  :    .-in.  .;  ■  !  ;;.:    „i  r 
^    ;   Mi    ■';;;!  !     ;-;•,;    ■■    !{.-(   UM'i    .1, 

■■■     '    ■•  !  K/[  \u:  '•' ^    •'■;::- 


'J'Mf 


;■    1    /.Pi    ii,;( 


./•((-■    >n     .■,( 


:!i    -U 


58  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIOilA  CITY 

Out  of  the  uutstriiii)hiii-  rank  a  man  dropped  and  dismounted 
by  the  tree.    They  faced  each  other  half  blinded. 

''Xo  competitiou  here,  sir,"  said  the  arrival.  It  was  a 
familiar  voice  to  Lake. 

"And  none  here,"  replied  Lake. 

"Holy  hemlocksl"  exclaimed  Louis  Mason.  "We  meet 
again  and  on  the  old  ranch. " 

"And  a  mighty  welcome  chap  you  are,"  laughed  Lake. 
"What  are  you  after?" 

"Town  lots,"  replied  Mason. 

The  heavy  cavalcade  approached  the  river. 

"I'll  be  back  and  bunk  with  you,"  Mason  said  at  parting. 
He  i-emounted  and  his  respited  horse  plunged  spiritedly  into 
the  sand  and  then  into  the  water  of  the  stream. 

Reaching  the  boundary  of  the  embryo  city  ^Nfason  turned 
his  horse  into  a  puldic  corral  of  l)ar])ed  wire,  received  from 
the  keeper  an  identification  card  and  hunied  toward  the  reg- 
istration booth.  Before  the  l)ooth  stood  a  line  of  waiting  men 
and  women  hundreds  of  yards  long.  It  was  at  this  l)ooth  that 
applicants  for  town  lots  stated  their  qualifications  to  i)urchase. 

Mason  made  another  link  in  the  waving  and  Aveaving  hu- 
man chain.  The  advance  was  a  few  inches  at  a  time.  xVfter 
two  hours  he  was  within  ten  yards  of  tlie  ])ooth.  The  line 
here  was  on  the  main  street  of  the  tent  city.  Gamblers,  high- 
waymen, confidence  men,  contest  attorneys,  claim  jumpers, 
traders,  real  estate  dealers,  the  marks  of  whose  professions 
were  writ  unmistakably  upon  their  faces,  mingled  and  milled 
along  the  line,  each  awaiting  his  human  ]iros]ie(-t. 

"How  much  for  your  ])lace  in  line  .''■"  yelled  a  coarse  voice 
ont  of  the  din  of  the  juuibjc.  Mason's  face  A-ccrcd  toward  the 
sound.  "Hello,  kid,  1  want  to  trade  with  you,""  called  15ill 
Bryant. 

"I'll  trade  with  you  after  the  show."  laughed  Mason. 

"Give  you  a  thousand."  i-oared  Bryant. 
Mason  edged  foiwar<l,  ur-ed  by  the  t(pes  of  h(,ots  at  his 
heels,  toe  mulging  the  heels  liei'orc  tiiui.  Xow  visible  Ix-fore 
him,  ]»i-iuted  in  large  l)lack  letters,  was  a  sign  abo\-e  the  regis- 
tration window  containing  rules  mailc  and  jiovtcd  liy  tli<'  Sec- 
retary of  the  Interior.  Mason  read  it.  Out  of  his  face  went 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  (luest.  ( 'astles  tuuililed.  crashed  and  were 


'    uuu^.l'^    ...1,:    i.^    ',,.:■:  ■    r.   ■'  '--.'"     'ilt   '"  ^"O 

.    --Ml,     .  ,,::!7/-' 


i      I. 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIOIMA  CITY  59 

wrecks  iu  a  maelstroiii  of  darkness.  He  suddenly  collected 
liiinself,  deliberated  for  a  dozen  seconds,  envisioned  the  sweet 
and  smiling  face  of  Mary  Lake,  turned  half  about  and  called 
to  Bill  Bryant. 

"Bring-  along  your  thousand,"  he  said,  "I've  had  enough 
of  this." 

Bryant  hastened  to  him,  counted  out  the  thousand  dollars 
in  dirty  currency,  and  took  ^Mason's  place  in  the  line,  "(iot 
a  bad  foot, ' '  said  Bryant.    ' '  Couldn  "t  'a '  stood  it  all  day. ' ' 

Robert  Lake  and  his  wife  and  daughter  in  due  time  settled 
on  their  homestead  beside  the  river,  just  outside  the  city 
limits.    Early  came  !Mason  to  visit  them. 

"How's  the  locating  business?"  asked  Lake. 

"Moi-e  than  I  can  do,"  answered  ]Mason.  "Wish  I  had  a 
dozen  of  our  old  cow  punchers  to  help  me.  I  know  the  trails ; 
the  new-comers  don't.  I  can  place  live  men  to  their  one.  Xever 
saw  such  opportiuiity  to  make  money." 


It  was  a  season  of  sociability  in  the  Lake  cottage.  They 
forgot  business  and  the  ucAvnoss  and  roughness  and  down- 
right crudeness  of  things  and  harked  back  to  the  days  before 
dust,  almost  impassable  streets  of  mud,  assaults,  robberies, 
killings  and  the  hundred  and  one  minor  inconveniences  and  ,  i 

travesties.    In  the  late  evening  Louis  and  Mary  spoke  quietly  .     ; . 

and  alone  on  an  old  white  log  in  the  pasture.    They  discoursed  i 

on  momentous  nothings  until  the  subject  melted  int(.)  moon-  .  j 

beams,  and  then  proceeded  to  settle  once  and  for  all  that  j 

more  practical  but  equally  momentous  question  of  a  cottage  i 

for  two.  I 

The  Daily  Xews  thirty  da\-s  later  announced  the  organiza-  .         ! 

tion  of  the  Commerce  Xatiniial  Bank,  of  which  Eobcrt  l.ake. 
"former 'cattle  king,"  was  chosen  president,  and  Lnuis  INlason,  ; 

"one  of  the  city's  most  excellent  young  1)usiness  men."  was  ■ 

chosen  cashier.  ' 

Sixty  days  later  the  Daily  Xews  reported  at  colunni  length 
the  wedding  of  ^Ir.  Louis  ^Fason  and  ^liss  Mary  Lake,  the 
latter  "the  beautiful  and  acconqdished  daughter  of  ^Iv.  Kob-  I 

ert  Lake  and  one  of  the  fairest  ih-wers  of  the  land  of  the  fair 
god." 

In  tlie  cottage  for  two  one  l)alni\-  evening  of  tlie  honeynioou 


J;./>il/;.l>!:v  ■■if   7*(']v-   Luiii 


Wlii!   -v' !  ••    f\f(^       1   ",l»(f|-r.Muil)    rtpv  ■* 

".c.;ih  l(t 


,'..■!• 


Hi.i-  ■  >■!■■  i'.l  I't'i-D'iM  iti-r.    '  17'    It:  jMir,  i:.'i:.I  li  ^.^^  .5' 

..:.-.i;t  i'i',\-f  (.r   -■i:-i;i/   .HiTi;o    ;|-ji::h  ;,;m:( 

.-.■!■    '   '>./..,  "^  •:-,.■.     1  •     '  .;    '.;■■<:!    .;lt  ^'v'wH- 


■u>\ 


I  -.7r,;>  V ; 


■  .       ..  ;  -.  >  n<[J  ■■.,  CI,,;; 
:;■.,  .;  '.1  I !  i/T  •'■i!T("  t'J  " 


60  TflE  STOKY  OK  OKI.AIlo.MA  ilTY 

thc'\-  Were  takiiiy  an  imciitdry  of  recent  ewnts.  "'YdU  never 
told  uie,"  .said  Mary,  ■'why  you  (lid'nt  'j;L't  that  coveted  .Main 
Street  lot  of  wliicli  you  tallied  liefoie  the  run." 

"Oh,  I  had  foi--otten  tliat,"  Louis  hui.-hed.  --The  truth 
is,  my  conscience  wouldn't  let  nie  take  the  risk.  A  si.nn  over 
the  registration  window  said:  "No  person  of  Indian  l)lnod  shall 
be  permitted  to  register.'  That's  why  I  sold  my  place  in  the 
lino,  a  place  J  held  in  all  good  faith  until  1  neared  the  window, 
and  a  place  sold  in  all  good  faith  to  an  Arkansawy^^r  with  a 
disabled  foot." 


Among  the  early  callers  at  the  bank  was  Bill  Bryant.  He 
came,  he  said,  to  express  good  wishes  fi»r  the  new  instituti(ju 
and  incidentally  to  boi'row  a  couple  of  hundred  for  thirty  or 
sixty  days. 

"That'll  Ije  all  right,  Mr.  Hryant."  said  the  acconuuodat- 
ing  cashier.  "1  take  it  that  you  can  give  us  a  moi'tgage  on 
the  lot  you  drew." 

"Xo,  I  can't,"  replied  l>ryant  sadly.  "You  see,  1  didn't 
get  to  keep  the  h.t.  Went  to  court  and  all  that,  but  the  con- 
testant won  and  I  was  }nU  off." 

"On  what  grounds?"  asked  .Alason. 

"They  proved  that  I  was  a  sooner,"  i-eplied  Bryant,  "and 
sooners  are  in  bad  repute  hereal touts." 


H'  •     (JM'  1>'. 


:.:■!/:,   f> 

..?■,       .-     . 

Ihrc  ••: 

T"     .1 

'•;    '  -   J,   , 

I  t:):i! 

^  rr,r 


sJ  :m  ■"■■••'i'fi'i     I   .1       •       MI  tii'/ 


THE  FOUXDIXG  OF  OKLAHO.M.l  CITY 
By  Dr.  A.  C.  Scott 

Monday,  April  22,  1889,  \yas  a  perfect  day  in  the  Oklalionia 
Cuunti-y.  Xot  a  elond  iieeked  the  slvy  all  day  lonu,-.  Scarcely 
the  whisper  of  a  breeze  could  he  noted,  or  the  bending  of  a 
blade  of  grass.  The  wine  of  spring  was  in  the  air,  and  the 
freshness  of  spring  was  evident  to  all  the  senses.  A  certain 
area  n})on  which  today  stands  a  city  of  lOO.UdO  people  was, 
on  the  morning  of  that  day,  an  nni)rokeu  pi-airic.  low  and 
level  in  the  loop  of  the  North  Canadian  River  to  the  South, 
but  rising  and  more  rolling  to  the  Xortli.  The  land  had  been 
burned  clear,  and  the  soft  new  grass  of  spiing.  spi-inkled 
with  nudtitudinous  wild  tiowers,  made  the  view  a  peaceful 
and  a  charming  one.  But  this  was  in  the  morning,  and  u^)  to 
noon.  ]5y  evening  the  grass  and  flowers  were  crushed  lieneath 
the  feet  of  thousands  of  hurrying  and  excited  men,  and  the 
deei)er  scars  of  horses'  hoofs  and  wheels  of  innunu'rable  ve- 
hicles. In  six  hours  the  natural  beaiUy  of  the  scene  was  com- 
pletely ol)literated — beyond  ivcognition  or  hope  of  repair. 

For  Oklahoma  City  was  Ixn-n  that  day.  The  Romans  reck- 
oned time  for  many  centuries  from  the  founding  of  the  city. 
The  22d  of  April,  1921,  was  for  Oklahoma  City,'  A.  U.  C.  :52. 
]\lany  cities,  it  is  to  ])e  i)resumed,  had  their  start  on  a  cer- 
tain day;  but  few,  if  an_\',  have  started  with  such  a  rush  and 
so  dramatically.  On  the  morning  of  April  22.  ISS!),  Okla- 
homa City  had  a  name  but  no  inhabitants;  in  tlie  evening  it 
had  a  population  of  10,0(10  persons,  and  was  permanently  on 
the  map.  To  one  looking  over  it  that  ex'euing,  as  tliis  writer 
had  the  privilege  of  doing,  it  was  a  l)i/.arre  and  motlt^y  sight ; 
a  city  of  tents;  tents  as  far  as  the  eye  coidd  see;  some  old 
and  soiled,  l)ut  for  the  most  part  new  and  aciw  white,  and 
giving  foi'th  a  spectral  aspect  as  the  twilight  fell.  A  \-ery 
transient  and  lleeting  ajipearance  it  had,  too,  as  if  it  might 
Gl 


n  ■■  ,A.^:iiLAyio 


'JU'-  JHT 


'',■.'■    .-ti  )  i.ir    .! 


;       I, .J :..,,,     ; 


C-  TilE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIU-MA  CITY 

break  canii)  and  lucvc  mi  in  the  nininin-  JJut  it  was  in  realitv 
by  no  means  transient.  It  is  interesting  t^  reflect  that  these 
slight  canvas  tenements  i-(H,te(l  their  uwneis  to  tlie  soil  and 
gave  them  titles  which  n..  man  (-(iidd  tak<'  awav.     The  tents 

were  so(..n  replaced  by  w h-n  structures,  and  these  in  turn 

gave  way  to  brick,  -ranite.  cuu.-iete  and  steel. 

And  this  was  the  way  it  happened:  On  March  3,  1889,  by 
a  "rider"  on  the  Indian  Appropriation  bill,  UkiaUoma  had 
been  declared  open  to  settlement.  President  Harrison  had  an- 
nounced xVpril  22d  as  the  oiiening  day.  and  Vl  o'clock  noon  the 
earliest  at  which  one  c,,uld  le-ally  entei-  the  land.  And  it  was 
in  fact  just  the  "laud."  It  was  not  a  territory;  it  was  not  a 
state;  it  was  just  "the  Oklahoma  country."  It  had  no  or- 
ganization, no  government,  and  no  laws  except  such  as  were 
generally  applicable  to  Federal  territory.  It  is  important  to 
remember  this  in  reading  the  st(.ry  of  the  founding  of  Okla- 
homa City,  since  there  were  no  laws  providing  for  the  organi- 
zation of  nnmicipalities  and  no  power  to  make  them.  There 
was  not  even  any  legal  authority  to  lay  out  streets  and  alleys, 
blocks  and  lots.  There  was  one  Fi'd<'ral  law,  however,  api")li- 
cable  to  the  case  and  that  was  tliat  if  a  certain  number  of 
people  went  ui.on  a  subdivisi,,u  of  public  homestead  land  with 
the  purpose  of  iorming  a  town  in-  city,  that  act  segregated  the 
land  in  question  fi-om  the  (udinary  homestead  land  and  made 
of  it  homestead  lots— which  nn'ans  that  any  man  could  enter 
upon  a  certain  number  .d'  lots  and  hold  tlieui,  providin-  he 
was  the  first  to  "settle."  In  other  w,a-.ls.  the  lots  were  to  be 
had  for  the  taking;  and  since  there  was  a  very  general  im- 
pression that  Oklahoma  City  was  to  he  the  chiefCitv  of  the 
coming  State,  -ettiug  in  ..n  the  gi'ound  door  seenied'to  offer 
a  rare  o].portunity  (d'  obtaimng  soincthin-  f.u'  nothing. 

And  that  was  why  lO.OdO  pcopU.  inshed  to  this  particular 
spot—a  mere  station  on  the  Santa  Fe  IJailroad— as  soon  after 
noon  df  April  22d  as  tluy  could  get  there  Souie  even  rushed 
to  it  soonei'— n!(u-e  stealthily,  however;  and  that  explains  how 
the  word  "sooner"  came  into  instant  and  nni\-<'rsal  vo-ue  in 
Oklahoma,  and  even  got  into  the  dictionaries.  Tlu-re  were 
"tren<-lies"  in  th..se  days  as  well  as  in  these,  and  when  the  liour 
«d'  tweh-e  arrived  these  trenches  discharged  manv  a  man 
who  made  swift  tracks  for  the  choicest  lots. 


;-.^-      •        jI-.Im.,,   '         /.I     j)T.|.;l.j.;',     ,iii(,..'     ')■!   )// 


r     t;      >,:n    ,,.i. 


f.t!/. 


o  ■,.■11  .if".>'      ,( ;  '- 


:,/.     tf     '*.f.j:    :   •     i  ■    i-i  \  M.u  cfi 


3-<^>/ 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  65 

The  first  Icyal  settlers  Ccinie,  iiru!)al)ly,  from  the  nearest 
point  on  the  *South  CanatUan  Kiver.  aljout  eleven  miles  dis- 
tant. They  came  tiuuultuously,  on  liorseltack  and  in  wagons, 
reaching  the  townsite  20  minutes  Ijefore  1  o'clock.  On  their 
heels  followed  other  multitudes  from  jxiints  of  entrance 
slightly  more  distant.  Then  came  the  avalanche,  trainloads 
ui)on  trainloads,  l)y  the  Santa  Fe  from  North  and  South. 
Every  coach  was  tilled  to  suffocation,  and  the  rt)of  of  eveiy 
car  was  i)acked  with  men.  The  passenger.s  began  to  fall  off" 
or  out  of  the  cars  long  before  the  trains  came  to  a  stop.  Every 
man  carried  stakes  and  an  axe,  because,  however  little  he 
knew  about  the  law  in  the  case,  he  knew  that  the  way  to  get 
lots  was  to  "stake"  them,  and  to  stake  them  tirst.  And  every 
man  hit  the  ground  running,  for  he  knew  there  was  a  po.ssibil- 
ity  of  staking  a  k)t  that  would  be  worth  ?f^5,000  within  a  week. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  many  a  man  did  stake  property  that  after- 
noon which  has  since  sold  for  a  more  than  comfortal)lo  fortune. 

That  was  a  long  and  strenuous  afternoon.  It  seemed  as 
if  some  thousands  of  human  beings  had  gone  mad.  All  over 
the  townsite  men  were  furiously  driving  stakes  and  setting  u]) 
tents.  Xot  that  a  man  could  hold  all  the  lots  he  could  stakt'. 
There  was  a  limit  under  the  Federal  law,  but  few  knew  what 
it  was,  and  many  staked,  or  "settled,"  all  they  could  in  the 
hope  that  they  would  get  all  the  law  allowed  in  the  tinal  out- 
come. This  went  on  until  about  7  o'clock,  when  it  seemed  to 
occur  to  everybody  at  once  that  it  was  supper  tiuu'.    A  truce 


to  rivalry  seemed  to  l)e  d 

eclared  b\- 

conunon  i 

consei 

lit.  anr 

I  ac- 

tivities  suddenly  ceased. 

The.Kh.r 

of  flying  1 

)acoii 

and  b 

rew- 

ing  coffee  rose  in  the  aii' 

'  most  dch 

■<-ta 

bly  fro 

U!  thi 

lusand 

.^   of 

camp-tires  or  rudely  imp 

rovised  cami» 

-stoves. 

Th( 

'11  was 

the 

city  of  tents  seen  at  its  1) 

est  and  nil 

>st 

dramatic  uio 

meiit : 

an.l 

as  the  night  came  on  and 

imiumera! 

.le  < 

•aiii})-H 

res  ai 

id  lant 

I'rns 

gave  fitful  illuminati<in 

to  the   sc( 

■ne. 

,   one    n 

liuht 

well    1 

lave 

fancied  that  this  was  a  m 

ilitarx-  en<- 

am 

pmeiit  ' 

i.rtlu 

•  srttin 

g.d' 

some  huge  frolic 

Xot  a  few  worked  on 

throuuli  t 

night.  1 

»Ut    fo 

r  the  mo.^t 

part  the  weary  i-indtitudc 

slept  witl 

1    Sll 

ich  nica 

sure  i 

it   <-olll 

fort 

as  they  coidd  command. 

About  n 

lidi 

n'uht  a 

loud 

.  .-<]ow 

call 

floated  ovei'  tlic  townsit*' 

from  the 

\o 

rtli:     " 

•Oh.  . 

loe.  In 

■l-e's 

your  undcl"     Tt  was  tak 

A'U   up  by 

\'oi 

cc  aftc' 

■e.  and 

the 

Vol.     1—5 

!'>  I:    , 


,••        .1(1    ■.•'H'j 


J 

:.'        .,■           :• 

.,•.-     /nM 

■  '  M'l  ,.   . 

'    '          //  'fA 

fl  'ili:-,!-//! 

!  •.:!ii 

;i  ,  i     ,1  , 

('?■■./       . 

■-'■'■,»:) 

:   .   .:    ,U.;- 

i,i    i.!!i:    ,•• 

•lulT 

-ii-j  :i.',  i 

■;,   ./■      .v 

;;;  /!:;'t 

,|.-,l 

iii.nir.  '. 

■  ■    ■■■  :,:■•■ 

V   .:,iT     . 

•\     li,  1 

i:.!M:jr        c.    1      ,1,:  ;■,  1'\'j\ii    lii 
■nil    •       ■     1   ■-;  niiii;    !iil?i!    •>/ 


://   11  •  .! 


(i6  THE  STOKV  OK  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

multi]ilic(l  cries  passed  over  the  town  and  <ni  like  a  tioek  of 
luigiatoi y  hirds.  It  afterwards  developed  that  this  homely 
call  resounded  o\-er  a  ureat  part  of  Oklahoma  ( 'oiuitry  that 
niij;ht.  and  there  are  man\-  who  aver  that  it  arose  in  the  noith- 
west  portion  as  a  Ijona  tide  piece  of  information  to  a  man  who 
had  lost  his  nnilc,  and  was  taken  u})  by  man  after  man  in  the 
densely  jjopulated  region — thouuh  ]ieopk'd  in  a  single  after- 
noon— and  tlnrs  traversed  the  course  of  ni'arly  a  hundred 
miles.  At  any  rate,  utterly  insignilicant  as  this  incident  is,  it 
is  easily  the  niost  universall}'  remembered  event  of  the  first- 
day  liistory  of  Oklahoma. 

The  next  morning  operations  were  renewed  with  vigor. 
Some  wooden  ""shacks"  began  to  appear,  hastily  thrown  to- 
gether fiom  lumber  (tr  ready-framed  parts  of  houses  pre- 
viously shipped  in.  ]?ut  the  ([Uestioii  ])egan  to  rise  very  in- 
sistently to  every  lip,  "Whei'e  ale  we  getting  with  all  this 
struggle?"  Kvery  man  was  after  lots,  but  the  trouble  was, 
there  Avere  no  lots.  The  town  was  not  lai<l  off  in  lots  and 
blocks.  Every  stake  driven  I'epresenti'd  a  gamlde.  It  might 
be  on  a  lot.  when  lots  should  lie  established,  and  it  might  with 
almost  ('(lual  chance  ]n-o\-e  to  be  in  a  stieet  or  an  alle\-.  So 
about  noon  a  small  group  of  men.  strangers  to  one  another. 
l.)Ut  thrown  tiigether  in  the  common  confusion,  decided  that 
the  best  way,  and  indeed,  the  only  way,  to  get  things  headed 
toward  some  sort  of  solution  was  to  call  a  mass  meeting.  This 
was  no  sooner  th<»ught  of  than  done.  Half  a  dozen  boys  were 
found,  [ilac'd  on  jionies.  proxided  with  bells,  and  instructed 
to  riile  all  o\-er  the  townsite  calliii-  the  [leopl,.  to  a  meeting 
at  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

X.ibody  stayed  away  from  that  meeting.  Men  gathered  l)y 
thousands  and  by  acres.  The  wi  iter  ot  tliis  sketch  was  elected 
(■hail  man:  and  to  have  this  i.art  o\er,  he  ]>resided  also  over 
the  second  ureat  mas>  nu'cting.  held  the  next  Saturday,  to 
which  lefereiice  will  be  made.  This  fact  is  luentioiied  to  give 
assurance  tliat  these  incidents  are  narrated  by  one  who  had 
them  sharply  impressed  uiion  his  nunior_v.  He  had. one  in- 
dispensable asset,  as  it  jiroved  — a  sti-oiig  and  carrying  voice. 

Well,  this  Tuesday  afteriioiiu  meeting  raged  for  thi'ee 
houis,  and  at  the  end  the  chainuairs  \dice  suddenh'  went  out 


•>   ■(     (      'i    .      ■?■.■(:''':■   I,    ■    ,i'    vl       ). 


0  7- ^'5 


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tf 


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L....«Jj.a4JS^!«^V 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  69 

ill  a  whisper.  It  was  not  a  riotous  lueetinu'.  but  it  was  a  tu- 
iimltuous  one.  At  the  beginning  a  very  hiri;*'  and  hnig  box 
was  tViuud  aud  i)hK-ed  on  end,  and  the  ehairinan  hoisted  to 
the  top  of  it.  A  secretary  was  elected  and  lifted  to  the  top 
of  a  similar  box  beside  the  chairman.  Then  tlie  bii;-  talk  began. 
There  were  some  warm  words  for  the  •"sooiiers"'  and  for  a 
certain  town  company  which  had  made  a  pre-opeuing  plat  of 
the  town  and  was  trying  to  sell  lot  locations;  but  chiefly  the 
question  was  how  we  should  lay  <iut  the  town  when  there  was 
no  law  for  it.  It  was  finally  determined  to  elect  a  coinmitti'e 
of  fourteen  men;  with  power  to  divide  the  townsite  into 
.streets,  alleys,  blocks,  and  lots,  beginning  at  a  certain  desig- 
nated spot,  and  to  name  the  streets.  The  committee  was  in- 
structed to  proceed  to  its  task  at  oiK^e.  The  manner  of  electing 
these  fourteen  men  was  curious,  to  say  the  lea.st,  and  probably 
unique  in  the  histoi'y  of  election.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that 
these  thousands  of  men,  coming  from  every  part  of  the  coun- 
try, were  almost  universally  strangers  to  one  another.  'JMiere- 
fore  when  the  fir-st  man  was  nominated,  the  instant  cry  was, 
"Let's  see  him."  So  he  was  hustled  through  the  crowd  to 
the  boxes  where  the  chairman  and  seci'ctary  stood,  then 
boosted  from  below  by  those  on  tlie  ground  and  pulled  from 
above  by  the  two  officers  on  the  boxes  until  he.  t(»o.  stood 
exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the  multitude.  And  this  iiroceeding 
was  followed  in  the  case  of  every  man  placed  in  nomination. 
If  the  crowd  liked  his  looks  they  voted  him  up;  if  not.  they 
voted  him  down — and  this  without  the  slightest  compunction. 
It  was  tough  to  be  ^-oted  down  just  on  one's  looks,  But  sev- 
eral were  thus  rejected.  Among  those  voted  out  was  (ieii. 
James  I>.  Weaver,  once  a  candidate  for  President  of  the 
United  States.  But  it  wasn't  on  account  of  his  lool^s.  since 
he  was  a  notably  fine-looking  man.  It  was  by  reason  of  some 
passing  i)rejudice  against  him,  the  nature  of  which  the  writc'r 
has  forgotten  if  he  ever  knew.  There  was  no  possibility  >>[' 
taking  a  "division"  on  contesting  \dtcs:  the  chairman  had  to 
jtulge  as  best  he  could  l)y  the  size  of  the  roars  for  the  differ- 
ent sides,  for  the  ci'owd  \-ote<l  altogether  l)y  roars.  Uut  there 
was  another  limitation  ujiou  cliLiibility  to  this  committee 
besides  looks,  and  that  was  that  no  two  men  sliould  liail  from 
the  same  State.     So  when  this  most  strenuous  and  iiei'sonal 


i'  ..  '■ 


,...  ..uv_,  .:>.  ,.     ;..'.(  Dan  Ur.\i,r, 


..-  '•  fh.    , 


70  .        THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

election  M'as  over,  the  Cuiuniittee  uf  Fourteen  represented 
fourteen  .states  of  the  Union. 

The  coUHuittee  Avent  to  work  that  very  iii^ht  and  continued 
its  labors  until  far  beyond  midnight.  It  met  in  a  large,  tiap- 
ping-  tent — for  the  A})ril  ))reeze  had  awakened — and  its  pro- 
ceedings were  conducted  by  the  light  of  lanterns  and  torches. 
It  laid  off  Oklaliouia  ( 'ity  exactly  a.s  it  stands  now.  except  for 
one  important  correction  rendered  necessary  liy  the  force  of 
circumstances  within  the  week,  the  story  of  which  is  a  story 
of  near-tragedy  that  will  be  told  in  its  place.  Of  course,  how- 
ever, the  land  then  laid  uft'  is  but  a  small  fraction  <if  the  area 
occupied  Ijy  Oklahoma  City  today,  and  is  now  almost  wholly 
covered  by  business  structures.  The  connnittee  employed  ;i 
surveyor,  and  he.  with  his  part}',  was  instructed  to  begin  sur- 
veying and  measuring  off  the  lots  and  blocks  the  next 
morning.  This  A\as  the  thing  that  would  reveal  who  had 
drawn  jtrizes  and  who  had  drawn  blanks.  This  work  was 
energetically  uridertaken  on  A\'eduesday  morning. 

Also,  at  its  ses-<iuu  that  Tuesday  night,  the  (^'ommittee  of 
Fourtei^i  apiMiinted  a  sub-committee  of  ti\'e  to  follow  the  sur- 
veyois.  and  hear  and  determine  the  rights  of  c«)ntestii!g  claim- 
ants to  the  lots:  for  in  many  cases  there  were  from  two  to  half  a 
dozen  settlers  ou  a  single  lot.  aud  tlie  ([iiestion  was.  who  legally 
got  there  first  .''  As  soon  as  the  sui-xcyoi-s  got  fairly  under  way, 
markirg  off  the  lots  a-^  they  went,  this  sub-cnmuiittee  began  its 
work,  passiug  from  lot  to  lot,  hearing  the  evidence  of  the 
])arties.  and  sumuiarily  deciding  the  cases  on  the  spot.  Ari 
immense  crowd  attt'uded  the  committee,  and  the  press  of  the 
thi'ong  soon  became  so  great  that  it  was  found  necessary  to 
nail  three  long  boards  toL^cther,  thus  foi-ming  a  triangle  within 
which  the  committee  could  be  protectt'd  from  the  (■row<l.  This 
triangle  the  inner  circle  of  the  spectators  and  litigants  good- 
naturedly  bore  along,  and  thus  the  peripatetic  tril)unal  went 
more  or  less  couifoitably  on  its  way. 

Of  course,  there  wa-^  no  legal  warrant  for  this  ])rocedure. 
and  many  who  were  ousted  sul)se(|uently  presented  their 
claims  to  a  conuuissiou  appointed  by  the  President  under  an 
act  of  Congress  passed  about  a  year  later.  Tbit  for  tin-  most 
{^»ai't  the  contestants  accepted  the  <lecisions  of  the  snb-couunit- 
tee.     Those  who  found  their  stakes  an<l  tents  to  l)e  in  .streets 


ii.o  bi::;  la,.   -   •  '  • 
\  !    ;,, ,tj-;/i 


1    '  !> 

1.     ."»(i 

■;i;'1   liSiii 

,  ^  ^ 

■.  •  ■:•  r 

.    l!.-)^  ;jiliq 

■   ?     '  i-- 

^;:':''':i-:.' 

1  ,  -  •.■.'rlv>ji:> 

,1  -.  r  t  ■/.  ■'■■.!/    ' 


rAl'IAlX    w. 


IhlX 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  73 

and  alleys  packed  up  their  I)el(>iii;iiiL!,.s  and  left,  and  within 
two  or  three  days  the  streets  began  to  be  clearly  defined. 

But  trouble  was  brewing-  for  the  Connnittee  of  Fourteen. 
Reference  has  already  been  made  to  a  town  company  which 
came  to  the  opening  with  a  i)rearrangcd  plat  of  Ol^laliomn 
City.  This  was  the  Seminole  Town  <  'onqiany  of  Topcka.  Kan. 
While  the  Connnittee  of  Fourteen  was  strenuously  pushing- 
its  survey  u])  from  the  South,  the  Seminole  Town  ('onii)any 
was  urging  people  to  settle  according  to  its  jtlat  on  ^lain 
Street  and  to  the  North.  And  it  was  succeeding.  Friday 
came,  and  the  citizen's  survey  had  reached  Grand  Avenue,  the 
street  just  south  of  ^Maiu.  And  then  the  "situation"  sud- 
denly developed.  The  Seminole  Town  Company's  plat  had 
])een  made  with  reference  to  the  course  of  the  Santa  Fe  Rail- 
road— that  is,  its  streets  ran  at  right  angles  to  the  Santa  Fe 
tracks — and  that  road  did  not  run  exactly  Xorth  and  South 
through  the  townsite.  Therefore  the  citizen's  survey,  madi^ 
in  accordance  with  the  Govermnent  township  lines,  did  not 
fit  into  the  Seminole  survey.  To  go  forward  Avould  l)e  to 
dislocate  the  settlements  made  on  Main  Street  and  to  deprive 
many  men  of  "possessory  rights"  aln^ady  woitli  thousands  of 
dollars.  The  ^lain  Street  settlers  warned  the  Committee  of 
Fourteen  that  it  must  not  prosecute  its  surv(\v  farthei-.  The 
committee  telegraphed  to  General  Xoble,  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  and  icceived  a  reply  to  the  effect  that  the  Seminole 
Town  Company  had.no  rights  whatever  in  the  townsite.  A 
meeting  of  the  committee  was  held  tliat  uiglil,  and  after  long 
discussion  it  was  d(>termined  on  the  strength  of  tlie  "Wash- 
ingtim  telegram  to  ]iroceed  with  tlie  survey  iu  tlie  morning. 

The  surveying  jiarty  went  to  work  bright  and  early  Sat- 
urday mm-ning,  but  it  had  not  gone  far  when  a  group  of  (|uiet 
men  from  ^lain  Street,  with  Winchesters  in  tlieir  hands,  a]»- 
peared  u]ion  the  scene  and  suggested  that  it  woidd  be  just  as 
well  for  the  ]iarty  to  discoutinue  its  Avork.tlien  and  there.  This 
was  repoi'tcMl  to  the  Committee  of  Fourteen,  and  tliat  body 
imnjediately  went  into  session.  Its  decision  was  that  it  was 
high  time  to  call  another  nuiss  meeting-.  F>o\s  were  procured 
as  before,  placed  ou  lioi-ses  and  sent  sciirryini;-  oxer  the  town- 
site  with  bells  in  their  hands,  cnlliuL;  a  general  meeting  foi-  '2 
o'clock,     '■j'lie. same  luuic  crowd  assembled.     Tiiere  were  two 


ft-  (J  I'K.'f    'm>    •, 


.,-  ■■'■    ■       ,'t^  -        *  -Kir  .)ii,i-'; 


I  L    '    !. 


!    ',:;;.  .  ■■!" 


74  THE  STOHY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA   CITY 

factions  now,  and  a  .^ood  chance  for  a  clash.  The  nicctini^-  was 
not  so  tnnuiltnous,  howcwr,  as  tliat  on  TucscUiy;  hut  thciH' 
was  a  tenseness  of  feeling  which  su.uuested  tliat  troul)h'  would 
come  unless  wise  coiui~cds  }»ievaileil.  The  i-i^ht  of  the  matter 
was  plainly  with  the  ('onunittee  of  Fouiteen,  Init  expediency 
suggested  conipi-ouiise.  The  moderates  prevailed.  There  was 
a  north-side  ]>arty  and  a  south-side  party,  and  it  was  voted 
that  a  committee  of  ten  should  he  s(dected.  c^pially  di^■ided 
between  these  i^artit's,  to  try  to  patch  up  a  peace.  Each  party 
withdrew  to  itself  and  nouunated  its  ti\-e  men.  and  then  the 
two  parties  came  together  to  ratify  the  action.  It  was  di- 
rected that  a  report  should  he  made  at  dusk  of  the  same  da\-. 

The  committee  went  innuedijitely  to  work,  with  General 
AVeaver  as  its  chairman.  A  <-ivil  engineer  was  called  in,  tlu' 
two  plats  were  carefully  compared,  and  it  was  found  that  by 
creating  and  throwing  in  certain  ii'regulai'  lots  Ix'tween  Grand 
Avenue  and  ]\Iain  Street,  nnich  as  a  mason  throws  tillers  in.to 
a  stone  wall,  the  two  sur\-eys  cfiidd  he  \\-eliled  togetlu  r  luul 
the  breach  he  healed.  This  sound--  easy.  l)ut  it  took  hours  of 
weary  work. 

And  it  left  its  mark  on  Oklah(»nia  ( 'it.x'.  Xot  only  were  the 
irregular  lots  created.  l»ut  the  North  and  South-going  stn-ets 
at  Grand  Avenue  did  not  •"tit.""  and  harsh  jogs,  or  notches. 
were  produced.  Strangeis  wonder,  as  tlu'y  trav(d  down  a 
street  running  from  Xoi-th  to  South,  how  it  is  that  the\'  come 
against  a  solid  street  face  at  (irand  A\-enue  and  must  turn 
sharply  t(»  the  left  hid'ore  tlK'>-  can  go  on.     If  they  kuvw  it. 

these  irregulai  itM's  are  \-ei'y  literally  the  scais  of  a  hi lless 

conflict. 

AVell,  at  dusk  tlie  great  crowd  met  again,  at  a  ]ioint  where 
a  magnificent  hotel  now  stands.  Flariii-'  torches  and  smoky 
lanterns  iiroduced  a  weird  effei-t.  The  -ecrt'tary  of  the  coui- 
mittee  mounted  a  box  and  read  the  reixut.  It  seemed  to 
please  everybody,  for  a  great  hoarse  shout  (d'  appioval  went 
up.  And  then  pulling  hiuiself  out  like  a  tele-cope,  upi-o-e  froui 
the  rude  stool  upon  whi<-h  he  hail  been  sitting  a  Southern 
Methodist  preacher.  Shaw  by  nauie,  long-haired  and  l)earded 
like  a  propliet,  six  feet  and  se\-en  inches  tall,  with  a  mouth 
like  the  crater  of  \'esu\  ins  and  a  v.iice  like  the  thunders  nf 
Sinai,  and  said.  i<v  rather  roared,  '"Lt't  us  sing,  "Praise  God 


,,;      ■;.      l-j;, 

•-.;iMJ  ;.      :  '; 
'■  )Iiii^  ■.111..-) 


[I   'I      Mr;.'      ii 


■ll 


i.    I  ■      ! 


h-  \ 


FiKST  I'usT  uri-K  i;  of  oki.aiiuma 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  77  "  7 

from  Whom  xill  Blcssing-.s  Flow !'  ''  And  this  writer  has  never 
before  or  since  heard  the  okl  dox(.»logy  sung  with  so  great 
impi'cssiveuess. 

Thus  ended  the  first  week  in  Okhihdnia  City,  and  this  its 
first  great  trouble.  In  the  year  that  followed,  while  it  was 
governing  itself  with  no  law  except  self-made  law,  it  had 
other  troubles  and  other  stirring  and  dramatic  scenes ;  but  tliev 
do  not  belong  to  this  story. 


Y[y^\v. 


/,    I.-:]'   •>,!) 


i!-/,  ,i  -/;,.:. 


.    •  ''.:i>   ft  , 

_:.f.:t.„;    J.,, 


qc  -   ^C 


PART  II 

THE  SPREAD  OF  THE  YEARS 


1.S89— THE  LOT  JUMPERS 

Two  temp(»rary  inunieipal  L!,(iverinnriits  were  set  up  when 
the  tempest  of  the  rush  had  subsided  aud  men's  thoughts 
shifted  to  enterprise  of  permanency.  One  of  them  attempted 
to  direct  public  policies  of  the  area  originally  platted  and  the 
other  of  an  area  adjoininii'  it  on  the  south.  This  latter  the 
settlers  called  South  Oklahoma.  It  consisted  of  320  acres  and 
Reno  Avenue  was  its  northern  l)oundary.  Apparently  the 
rivalry  between  the  two  governments  was  not  discordant. 

Stories  have  been  told  hy  Dr.  A.  C.  Scott  and  others  whose 
experiences  are  related  in  another  subdivision  of  this  history 
of  the  earliest  attempts  at  maintaining  order  and  the  estal)- 
lishment  of  a  government,  of  the  controversy  between  the 
Seminoles  and  the  Kickapoos  and  their  c-ontlicting  methods 
and  the  overlai>ping  of  their  l)oun(laries,  and  of  the  lights 
and  shadows  of  pioneei-  life. 

Five  days  after  the  opening  South  Oklahoma,  with  a  poi)u- 
lation  of  over  two  thousand,  held  an  election,  in  which  oOO 
votes  were  cast.  G.  W.  Patrick  was  elected  mayor,  ^\^  T. 
Bodine,  recorder;  Leslie  P.  Ro.ss,  attitrney;  X.  ( '.  llelburn, 
maishal;  John  Cochran,  treasurer,  and  .1.  P.  McKiunis,  S.  E. 
Steele,  E.  AV.  Sweeney,  E.  S.  Hughes  and  ^\'.  L.  Killilurw, 
luembers  of  the  coiuicil.  'J'his  administration  ajipears  to  have 
been  short  lived,  for  within  a  few  mouths  a  directory  in  the 
Daily  Times  showed  the  go\-enimeiit  to  be  in  control  of  T.  E. 
Fagan  as  mayor;  J.  ^I.  A'ance,  recorder;  J.  H.  Beatty,  attor- 
ney; B.  F.  Waller,  treasurer:  R.  A.  Sullins,  engineer;  D.  E. 
^[cKay,  marshal,  and  W.  S.  13arnes,  W.  A.  Robertson,  A\'.  A. 
Barker,  T.  J.  Head,  O.  W.  R.  Chinn  and  H.  F.  Quinu.  mem- 
bers of  the  council.  ^Marshal  ^NFcKay  resigned  shortly  and  was 
succeeded  by  A\'.  J.  Fullei'.  ^Nlayor  L'aiian  resigned  mi  Xo- 
vem])er  27th  and  at  a  special  election  on  Decemi)er  7th.  James 
:Milton  was  elected  to  succeed  him.  .,,:,;;,    i.  :'    .>.'.;'■ 

81 


■iMI/     M.    1  < 


ii    ,.'•'.! 'J   ;i  >-f' 


;-■].;■■    "1    :  ''■    .r-, 


il    •).»■;'    iirr! 


[f   .1.  .T  ,-.,.:(/;fI 


82  Till-:  STORV  OF  OKLAHOMA  TITY 

Locations  for  business  houses  were  in  (U'uuuul  })rincii>ally 
along-  California  and  (irand  a\'eimes  and  Main  Street,  and 
the  tendency  (d'  Inisiness  and  icsidential  sections  was  toward 
the  north.  It  was  toward  ujdands  and  the  clKdce  nnv^y  hills 
and  away  from  the  l)ottoius  and  tlieir  skirtinii'  low  le\-els  alonu 
the  Canadian  lAi\er.  Soutli  town,  liowevt'r.  developed  a  busi- 
ness section  of  its  own  and  s})read  its  resitlential  ari'a  down 
to  the  river  bank.  It  dewloped  a  society  jiecidiar  unto  itsidf 
and  had  its  churches  and  schools  and  hxlucs,  and  real  estate 
dealeis  verball^ydressed  it  u]i  with  industrial  possibilities. 
One  <d'  its  chief  social  and  intellectual  diversions  of  the  year 
was  debating.  This  was  carried  on  by  what  was  ndsnauied 
the  South  Oklahoma  Election  Clul) — misnamed  because  of  its 
frequent  depai-tuie  from  a  ])nri)ose  indicated  by  the  title. 
One  of  the  most  enthusiastic  (d'  these  deljates  was  on  the  suli- 
jeet  of  a  herd  law  for  Oklahoma.  The  chief  affilmativ^• 
speaker,  who  advocated  the  adti]ition  (d'  such  a  law.  was  J.  F. 
AVinans,  and  the  negative  side  was  captained  l)y  S.  K.  Steel. 

Political  issnes  that  developed  during  the  snmnier  in  Okla- 
homa City  proper  centered  ujion  a  charter  that  had  l)een  pre- 
l^ared  and  presented  for  adoption  on  Septemlier  2nth  by  a 
board  chosen  (tut  of  the  Seminole  group.  It  was  dcd'eatt'd  and 
out  of  the  defeat  the  tirst  ix'gidar  campaign  for  may(U'  de- 
veloiDcd,  with  Ur.  A.  J.  Beale  the  nonunee  nt  tlu-  Kickajtoos 
and  Henry  Overholser  the  choice  id  the  Seiinnole^.  While 
political  alliances  were  little  considered  in  the  nouunating 
conventions  and  ]>olitical  differences  were  id'  secondary  im- 
portance in  the  cauqiaign.  ambitious  politicians  made  capital 
of  the  fact  that  Docfu'  lieale  was  a  democrat  and  Mr.  Over- 
holser a  republican.  The  .'lection  was  held  on  >;o\-ember  27tli 
and  Beale  was  elei-ted  l)_v  a  majority  of  fourteen.  Less  than 
seven  hundred  votes  were  cast. 

The  Septeml)er  charter  election  was  the  mor<'  ex<-iting 
(jf  the  two.  As  has  been  lelated  elsewhei-e.  it  was  a  serious 
question  who  was  entitled  to  \ote.  and  the  ]iai'amount  de- 
batable issue  .d'  the  day— who  were  entitled  to  retain  town 
lots— was  ineradicable,  ('apt.  D.  V.  Stiles,  commanding  offi- 
cer of  (i<i\-ernment  tm^ps  that  were  stationed  ea'-t  of  the 
Santa  h'e  tracks,  had  instructions  to  inteid'ere  in  election  dis- 
turl)ances.     His  interference  resulted  in  the  arrest  (d'  Judge 


r  1  :  -•/->t 


••'■•  M(    !    ;. lis  1;; 
1  'tl  Ml  'nh 

'      :  .■.'  .;  inn; 


.  U 


.  'jl  .'f;v 


,v^-y/ 


■:'~:~  :~l''-  'L->'^r~'^,_ 


OKLAHOMA  (,  ITV   IX   18-i!i   KKFORK   TIIK   KUX 


_l 


.      ■     ■•■■-   ■"•-.-    r^h,rYitiifr.#i-'in»liiMii 


iiii'iMwaiiniaiatiittVrTiiiiiir^naB 


OKLAHOMA  CITY   OX   At'iUL  2+.    ISSO 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  So 

Bruwn,  Cai)t.  A.  B.  Ifainiiu'r,  R.  (Has-ow,  M.  L.  Hixler,  II.  ^V. 
Sawyer,  J.  B.  (i edges  L-  W.  Stewart,  J.  H.  IJarry  and  AV.  L. 
Pendletnii,  wIk.  were  eharged  witli  Dbstructiiiy  the  military 
iu  enforcement  of  orders.  The  ])ond  of  eadi  was  tixed  at 
•tl.OOO  and  some  of  the  men,  failing  to  make  bond,  were  sent 
to  jail.  It  appears  that  at  least  one  de2)uty  Tnited  States 
marshal,  George  E.  Thornton,  was  in  synii)atliy  with  the  de- 
fendants and  others  of  their  elan,  for  he  was  aeeused  by 
Captain  Stiles  of  "unwarranted  interference  with  myself  and 
the  United  States  commissioners  and  is  the  cause  of  much 
trouble."  Captain  Stiles  made  complaint  against  Thornton 
to  Thomas  B.  Xeedlcs,  United  States  marshal,  at  ^Muskogee, 
and  R.  L.  AValker,  United  States  marshal,  at  Topeka,  Kansas. 

"The  presence  here  of  Deputy  United  States  Marshal 
George  E.  Thornton  cannot  be  tolerated  any  longer,"  said 
the  Stiles  complaint.  "I  have  had  to  put  one  of  liis  possemen 
out  of  town  as  a  thug  and  another  was  arrested  Saturday 
after  an  election  riot  and  is  now  under  bond.  Thi>rnton*s 
conduct  today  is  unacc(iuntal)le.  I  refer  you  to  (^'onnnissioners 
Sommer,  Harney  and  Cramer  and  to  J)eputy  ^Marshals  Bick- 
ford  and  East.  He  sides  with  the  disturl)ing  element  in  this 
city  and  should  lie  removed  at  once." 

An  order  of  removal  came  in  due  time  from  Marshal 
AValker  at  Topeka.  It  was  a  mere  ))rief  sentence  that  was 
preceded  and  superseded  by  praise  of  Thornton's  service  in 
general  in  which  his  "lumesty  and  integrity  Avere  not  ques- 
tioned"' and  in  which  he  was  "counted  a  good  and  efficient 
officer."  It  seems  not  to  have  been  detinitily  determined 
whether  a  govermnent  marshal  in  Oklalioma  was  under  juris- 
diction of  the  district  of  Indian  Territory  oi'  the  district  of 
Kansas,  which  accounts  for  Captain  Stiles  sending  his  coui- 
plaint  to  the  marshal  of  each  district.  I*rol)ably  the  records 
show  that  ]\rar.shal  Xeedles  at  Aluskogee  also  issued  an  order 
of  dismissal  of  Thornton. 

During  the  Beale-Overholser  cani]iaign  a  petition  was  cir- 
CTdated  and  libei'aliy  signed  asking  the  <  io\ei'nment  to  keep 
the  troops  here  until  a  Territorial  government  had  been  set 
u}).  It  appears  that  the  language  of  the  petition  contained  an 
endorsement,  oijcnly  or  by  infei'enc(\  ot'  the  adniinisti-ation 
of  ( 'a].tain  Stiles.     Whether  this  was  true  or  not.  a  belief  that 


j'lc  'V)  'r..<  •r> 


'^    n-niW 


in  l>  ^ 
--■>;(  J- 


,f.  ,.i  .>/(;:iH  "T  ■..;  ilia    n.;|,j  ..,, :  ';,,  •.,  ;^ 


,!-.,.      i  ,    ..M.     ■-ni   -1    )> 


•^   'i!j 


;    !.or  I'rflirj..- 


86 


THE  .STOHV  OF  OKLAIIOilA  (  ITV 


it  was  true  causod  a  few  signers  tu  deiuand  that  their  names 
be  erased  from  the  instrument,  and  this  was  made  an  issue 
iu  the  niavoralty  eampaigu.  Opponents  of  0¥*4'holser  called 
Captain  Stiles  tlie  "autocrat  of  the  Seniinoles,"  and  strong 
charges  were  made  against  Sidney  Chirke  of  tiie  Seminole 
Towusite  Company  and  Captain  Courli  who  had  on  Xovem- 
ber  12th  resigned  as  mayor,  both  of  whom  were  ardent  Over- 
holser  supporters.  The  Gazette,  a  daily  newspaper  edited  bv 
Doctor  Scott,  was  the  editorial  mouthpiece  of  the  Overholser 
organization. 

Doctor  Beale  was  endorsed  on  Xovember  13th  l)v  what  was 
called  the  Kickapoo  council,  the  call  for  which  was  issued  bv 
D.  M.  Ross,  chairman  of  a  Territorial  executi\e  couunittee. 
Among  requests  made  by  the  candidate  was  that  the  nomi- 
nating convention  should  be  held  in  the  day  time. 

"I  will  never  call  the  military  d(.wn  up(.n  our  i)eople  to 
bayonet  them  in  tlie  streets,"  he  said  in  his  speech  ..f  accep- 
tance. He  pledged  himself  to  protect  the  interests  of  lot  hold- 
ers and  to  disn.urage  and  i-reveut  lot  jumping.  He  opposed 
a  second  attempt  tn  adopt  the  charter  that  had  been  defeated. 
"I  know  neither  Seminoh'  nor  Kickapoo  as  sucli,"  he  said 
dramatically,  "but  with  an  eye  to  justice  and  tlie  right,  and 
quailing  before  no  wrong  however  well  supported,  I  will  be 
mayor  if  elected." 

Officials  of  the  Choctaw  Railway  Company  looked  the  town 
over  this  summer  with  a  view  of  selecting  au  objective  on 
the  Santa  Fe  railroad  for  a  west<-rn  outlet.  As  a  consequence 
the  first  railroad  mass  meeting  was  held  <in  Septem])er  7th. 
It  was  called  jointly  by  Mayor  \V.  L.  Couch  and  Mayor  T.  J. 
Pagan  of  south  town.  It  was  presided  over  I)y  :^la^■o'r  Fa-an. 
and  J.  K.  Fisher  was  secretary.  Right  of  way  and  termhial 
facilities  in  the  city  were  demanded  princii)aliy  by  the  Choc- 
taw officials,  and  a  conanittee  was  ap].ointed  to  confer  with 
these  officials  to  get  more  deHnite  infonnation.  This  conmiit- 
tee  consisted  of  Doctor  Deale.  J.  II.  A\'oods,  A.  B.  Tlanuner 
^y.  L.  Couch  and  T.  J.  Fagan. 

One  of  the  chief  obstacles  to  progress  the  eai-ly  settlers 
had  to  overcome  was  a  (piite  widelv  current  belief  that  the 
Territory  was  out  of  the  rainfall  belt  aii.l  that  it  was  similai' 
elementally   to    the    then    unproritable    Panhandle    of   I'exas 


"•jiii.i'.-    i  I'-i'  '.i,J"v'.,) 


r  -,;•//-->• 


.-u.  > 


1 


•  '    .  ''    '  ! 


r .  // 


THE  STOHV  OF  OKLAIIO.MA   CITV  87 

This  belief  no  dmibt  was  re;<i)(>iisiljle  for  an  uiieoiimKnily  large 
percentage  of  speculative  driftwood  in  tlie  towns  and  a  small 
percentage  of  actual  faruiei  s  on  the  h()niesteads.  Tlie  serious- 
niinded  and  determined  few  who  came  to  stay  permanently 
therefore  sought  oi)portunitics  to  tell  tlie  world  the  truth  about 
the  new  country.  A  great  oi)portunity  was  atforded  in  Sep- 
tember when  a  party  of  congressmen,  who  were  scouting  for 
ideas  and  wild  meats,  spent  a  day  here.  Undeniably  it  was 
a  day  they  shonld  not  forget  and  if  they  were  mindful  of  the 
hospitality  of  their  hosts  to  a  degree  conunensurate  with  that 
hosintality,  they  became  deliberate  and  proliiic  (.)klahonia 
proiJagandists.  The\-  had  a  barljecue  at  midday,  a  IjanijUet  at 
evening,  and  none  was  Ijetter  trained  to  manage  the  former 
than  M.  R.  CHasgow.  And  at  the  banquet  Sidney  Clarke  pre- 
sided— a  former  congressman  who  was  accpiainted  with  the 
little  frills  and  niceties  and  figures  of  speech  of  a  social  re- 
public. Between  the  hour  of  the  Ijarljccuc  and  the  hour  of 
the  banquet  there  were  hours  and  hours  of  sjiace  and  the  con- 
gressmen occupied  much  of  it  at  speech  making. 

The  leading  memlx-r  of  this  party  was  Representative 
William  M.  Springer  of  Illinois  whose  intluence  was  a  big 
factor  in  the  passage  of  the  act  opening  the  Territoi'y  to  set- 
tlement. His  was  the  leading  speech  of  the  afternoon  and  it 
was  eomj)limentary  and  prophetic  and  the  bundi'eds  who 
listened  gave  it  vigorous  applause.  Other  mem))ers  of  the 
party  were  Allen  of  ^Mississippi.  Baker  of  Xew  York.  Mansur 
of  Missouri  and  Perkins  and  Peters  of  Kansas.  Xearly  every 
member  of  the  party  found  here  former  constituents. 

It  may  be  said  with  approximate  certainty  that  the  men 
who  made  arrangements  for  the  reception  and  entertainment 
of  these  visitors  constituted  the  lirst  oi-ganized  Itand  of  Okla- 
homa City  l)oosters.  They  conceived  and  tirst  gave  public  ex- 
pression to  a  spirit,  which  their  successors  iidierited  and  so 
admiraldy  enq)loyed,  that  advertised  to  the  world  the  resources 
and  opportunities  of  Oklahoma  and  made  of  this  city  the 
metropolis  of  the  future  state.  A\'ords,  they  said  among  tlu'm- 
selves  in  the  early  meetings,  would  be  insufticiently  inq)ressive 
when  the  visitors  came,  and  the  Iwiard  buildings  and  the  bo.iril 
walks  and  the  modest  homes  and  the  Happing  dirty  tents  cer- 
tainlv  would  be  n(.  iiroof  that  the  settlers  could  or  would  do 


■•»••    'ihsv^  :i:ir 


■    1    \ 

!:.   ■    ■■'! 

.J^          'l.'l;'    1   '•/.,..■'.    ■       - 

1 1 1 ;  M  ■ :  1 

'til 

>•;      ■•). 

,,.,;.-  ^. 

•■'• 

I   " 

u  ■ 

1    •.():' 

1  •  I  /,■  1 

■ill'.] 

■;vi;,  ■-'.J'l;;!;.^  .    '• 
■..■!    .    .'■     ,    ;-     '    - 

-.(ir-j.r 


,rM.,-;.;i      .-i|. 


>.  M  I.    .i;,7/ 


88  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIlO-MA  CITY 

bcttvi'  than  this.  There  must  Ije  evidence  uf  pu.ssibilities  aud 
opportunities.  There  must  Ije  proof  that  early  impressions 
rehiti\e  to  ayrieultural  ijossiljilities  were  incorrect.  That 
proof  nuist  Ije  indisputalile  and  tlie  coniiressnien,  if  they  were 
disposed  to  reciprocity,  certainly  would  put  some  advertising 
fur  the  city  into  the  r<»nyressional  Kecordl  More  than  that, 
these  people  before  long  would  Ije  asking  for  statehood,  and 
the  influence  of  the  visitors,  who  know,  might  pass  an  enabling 
act. 

So  they  resolved  to  gather  up  and  display  the  widest  pos- 
sible variety  of  field  and  pasture  products.  The  settlement 
date  was  seasonable  for  the  planting  of  nearly  all  crops  suit- 
able to  this  climate  and  hundreds  of  homesteaders  who  had 
brought  their  teams  and  plows  Avith  them  in  the  run  pitched 
right  into  crop  making.  Eainfall  aud  sunshine  had  been  well 
proportioned  antl  by  September  even  the  most  sanguine  of  the 
ambitious  ones  marveled  in  the  presence  of  the  bounteous  har- 
vest. Col.  Samuel  Crocker  was  chairman  of  the  committee 
appointed  to  assemble  the  products.  S.  Countryman,  M.  F. 
Waller,  S.  F.  Cramer,  0.  W.  Patrick  and  A.  D.  ':\[arl)]e  were 
the  other  memljers  of  the  connnittee.  They  were  instructed 
by  the  club  to  collect  "'specimens  of  ores,  minerals,  fossils  and 
natural  curiosities  and  sam|)les  of  grasse*,  grains,  fruits, 
vegetables,  et  cetera."  J.  E.  Sawyer  was  delegated  to  super- 
intend the  placing  of  exliil)its.  Having  heard  <if  this  enter- 
prise and  fearing  that  the  conHuittce  would  be  unal)le  to  make 
a  creditable  showing,  some  reju'csentative  mm  of  Purcell,  an 
Indian  Territory  town  situated  in  a  region  tliat  had  been 
cultivated  for  a  number  of  years,  offei'cd  to  send  up  some  of 
the  best  of  their  farm  ]>roducts  to  supplement  the  exhibit. 
The  offer  was  not  a<-cepted.  but  to  this  day  there  are  eigjity- 
ninei's  who  are  not  certain  that  some  Indian  Territory  prod- 
ucts were  not  surre]»titiously  ]i]aced  in  the  exhibit  hall. 
Colonel  ("rocker  brou-lit  in  melons  and  ))mniikins  of  his  own, 
some  of  which  wciulicd  sixty  pounds.  A  former  lowan  de- 
{losited  a  beet  that  was  twenty-eight  inclie<  long.  An  onion 
was  thirteen  inches  in  cii-cumference.  A  l»ean  \'ine  was  2(H) 
feet  long.  Some  com  stalks  were  nine  feet  liit^ii  and  had  been 
produced  without  cultivation.  There  was  a  tumble  weed  six 
feet  tall  and  fort\'  feet  in  circumference  and  a  sunllower  ].lant 


i{r 


^.t/-    ••  '.■'  'i    ,1,      ";'.-^;:    .    .1.;  j.iii   'ilr 


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1^    ."•,,Mf<"r|.; 


THE  STOKY  Oi-'  OKLAHOMA  CITY  91 

twelve  feet  liii^li,  wliicli  made  the  Kansas  coiiyi-essuK'n  feel 
tli(ii'(tnylily  at  lidiiie.  A  Keiitiickiaiu  who  had  l)eeu  experi- 
ineiitiiig  with  tuhacco,  brouiiht  in  a  samjile  of  the  loug  leaf 
variety  of  exceptionally  tine  til)re. 

Seventeen  jiersons  contested  the  entries  of  the  three  men 
wdio  laid  claim  to  the  land  on  wliicli  tlie  city  originally  was 
established  and  a  heated  and  somewhat  technical  c(»ntro\ersy 
was  warming  np  in  laud  oflice  circles  l)y  the  end  of  the  year. 
The  land  office  records  showed  that  Louis  O.  Dick,  on  April 
22d,  filed  aijplication  for  entry  ou  the  southeast  quarter  and 
the  south  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  3;J,  town- 
ship 12  north,  range  3  west,  and  on  the  north  half  of  the  north- 
east quarter  of  section  4,  township  11  north,  range  :1  west: 
that  on  April  24th,  James  ^lurray  tiled  applieatiiai  for  entry 
upon  the  east  half  of  section  33,  township  12  north,  lange  :' 
west;  and  that  on  May  2d,  G.  W.  Patrick  made  application  to 
enter  upon  the  north  half  of  section  4.  township  11  noi-th. 
range  3  west.  The  records  showed  proof  that  all  tracts  were 
eml)raced  within  the  bouudaries  of  Oklahoma  City  and  ai)])ar- 
ently  were  being  used  for  townsitc  pnr[)oses. 

The  contestants  of  the  rights  of  these  applicants  Avere 
Sanuiel  Crocker,  F.  M.  Clault,  Randall  Fuller,  Fred  R.  Fuller, 
Stephen  Crocker,  Henry  C.  Cowan,  George  F.  Thornton.  1m1- 
ward  DeFar,  Meshock  Couch,  Kate  E.  :\Iay.  Thomas  Wright, 
Frank  S.  Phillips,  Edward  Orne,  Willis  Petd,  James  Pattei-- 
son,  Anson  Wall  and  Eugene  Fuller.  Tlie  register  and  re- 
ceiver of  the  land  office  at  Guthrie  denied  the  i)rayer  of  the 
contestants  that  the  applications  for  entry  he  rejected  and  the 
contestants  appealed  to  the  general  land  ofiice.  An  imi>or- 
tant  reason  for  the  denial  was  an  aiqtaix'iit  o^•erlal)ping  of 
claims.  The  commissioner  of  the  general  land  office  said  that 
undoul)tedly  the  applicants  meant  to  enter  ujion  "different 
parts  of  the  same  town."  Affidaxits  made  by  Dick  and  Pat- 
rick were  in  the  record  stating  that  tlii'  lands  had  been  settled 
upon  as  towns  and  were  actually  occujiicd  for  the  purpose  of 
trade  and  l)usiness  and  not  for  agricultural  purposes,  that 
they  were  i)opulated  by  bonafide  iidiabitaiits  and  were  not 
in  any  i-eservatiou  not  subject  to  ojieration  of  the  hoiuestcad 
laws.  These  affiilavits  made  a  faxorable  impression  upon  the 
commissioiuu'  l)Ut   lu'  reserxcd  final    judgment   until    fui'ther 


.  1   1;;  ■).(;'      i!iMi.|J<{;_Ci/.-.  'lu   /j-tiiij-, 
r    "•»!  '   .'   r-       M    ;      >i;7   ■]   1!  ij.JM   ''Mfj!   lii'.-' 


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■1.   '.    -:li:(.!lr.-» 


92  THE  STOKV   OF  OKLAHOMA  (ITV 

investiyatii.ii  .sIkhiM  be  niadi-.  He  in.^tiurtcd  the  land  office 
officials  to  deteriiiiiie  whether  there  was  more  than  one  town 
on  the  tracts,  wliether  they  were  actually  settled  and  oecupied 
as  t<iwns  or  town^ites.  to  as(_-ertain  the  nuniher  of  inhabitants 
and  the  character,  \-alue  and  location  of  all  municipal  improve- 
Bjents,  and  to  determine  whether  the  ai'pellants  had  made 
settlements  ujion  the  tracts.  That  was  the  status  of  the  con- 
troversy at  the  end  of  the  year. 

The  position  of  United  States  connnissioner  was  a  ratlicr 
lucrative  one  in  the  earjy  years  and  appears  not  to  have  been 
affected  by  a  strict  code  of  ethics.    At  any  rate,  Connnissioner  ' 

F.  L.  Cramer  advertised  for  clients.  "Come  to  Cramer,"  read 
his  ad  in  a  daily  pajier.  He  bore  the  title  of  general  and  held 
the  office  of  connnissioner  of  deeds  in  Kansas. 

"The  editor  goes  to  .jail,"  announced  II.  AV.  Sawyer,  editor 

of  the  Daily  Times,  and  the  records  disclose  that  he  was  among 

the  number  arrested  l)y  Captain  Stiles"  men  during  election 

disturbances.    Mr.  Sawyer  was  a  forceful  writer  with  a  goodly 

store  of  impressi\  e  adjectives.    Perha}»s  explosive  or  dynamic 

would  be  a  better  word.    Like  a  frontier  jx-ace  officer  he  tired 

from  the  hi]i  an<l  always  in  the  open.    The  wonder  is  that  his 

inky  ejiithets  against  the  SeminoK'S  did  not  involve  him  in 

more  serious  trouble  tliau  a  brief  incarceration  in  iail.     His  i 

f 
associate  editor,  Mort  L.  IJixler,  was  among  the  juoneer  advo-  '■ 

cates  of  statehood  and  occasionally  tor  want  of  a  more  useful  ' 

employment  of  time  he  lapsed  into  intimacy  with  the  nuise  [ 

and  delivered  a  select  bit  of  ]Mietr}-  through  a  few  sticks  of  I 

editorial  space  not  devoted  to   Sawyer's  scintillating  para-  : 

graphs.     Hixler  was  chairman  of  the  tirst  temporary  (U'gan-  • 

ization  of  members  of  the  Kuiuhts  of  Pythias  lodge  and  Taz- 

well  M.  r pshaw  was  secretar.v.     The  Oklahouia  Lo<lge  Xo.  1  I 

was  (U-gaiuzed  during  the  year  with  iJixler  as  chancellor  com-        '  • 

mander  and  ^y.  U.  Donnough  as  \\i-r  chancellor.     The  Hrst 

lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  also  was  organized  during  the  year. 

Theconunittee  that  ajiplied  f(.r  a  chai-tei-  fioui  the  urand  lodge 

corsisted  of  <;.  AV.  .McClelland.  Do.-toi'  HiL;-ins.  F.  J.  Keller, 

Doctor  Jordan,  O.  A.  Mit«-her  and  William  Turner. 

l-'i-om  out  of  the  Chickasaw  Nation  came  a  I'umor  that  a  ■ 

Methodist  preacher  had  been  le-allv  advised  that  un.ler  the  , 

laws  governing  the  Teri'itory  a  minister  (d'  the  gosiiel  was 


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THE  STOKY  ()F  OKLAHOMA  (  ITY  93 

without  authority  to  perform  a  marriage  cercniony.  and  this 
preacher  was  suspected  of  having-  passed  the  word  to  other 
preachers  of  his  conference.  Whether  he  di<l  or  didn't  is  not 
vital,  hut  it  is  certain  tliat  the  Kev.  A.  (J.  Mui-ray.  past<.)r  of 
the  Metliodist  C'lnirrh  in  Oklahoma  City,  entertained  grave 
douhts.  He  was  the  marrying  parson  of  the  village.  He  had 
a  i>leasant  manner  of  reassurance  that  appealed  to  contract- 
ing parties,  his  ceremony  was  orthodoxically  and  impressively 
heantiful,  and  he  tied  many  a  knot.  The  Chickasaw  rei>ort 
blossomed  into  a  street  tt)pic.  It  reached  the  cars  of  scores  of 
newlyweds  and  these,  in  spite  of  assnranccs  of  sufficiency  of 
the  common  law,  doubled  back  upon  the  parson.  He  at  length 
set  at  rest  all  uneasiness  when  he  had  pu))lished  in  the  news- 
papers a  letter  from  AVilliam  Xelson,  clerk  of  the  I'nited 
States  Conrt  at  Muskogee,  which  said:  "Send  along  your 
mai'riage  certificates  and  yonr  two  dollars  for  each  and  they 
will  be  duly  placed  of  record."  Doubtless  the  Rev.  ^V.  S. 
Miller,  pastor  of  the  Presliyterian  Church,  also  was  relieved 
of  a  similar  embarrassment. 

Some  other  events  of  the  year  were  these:  ^laj.  J.  A. 
Pickler  was  sent  here  from  Washington  l)y  Secretary  Xobk- 
of  the  Interior  Department  for  an  investigation  of  conditions 
relating  to  land  entries  and  contests;  on  October  15th  D.  F. 
McKay  resigned  as  city  marshal  of  South  Oklahoma,  ]\Iayor 
Fagan  called  a  special  election  for  Xoveml)er  2d  to  till  the 
vacancy  and  W.  J.  Fuller  was  elected:  a  counnittee  of  fifty 
was  formed  to  make  plans  f-.r  appealing  to  Congress  for 
governmental  relief  and  this  committee  sent  "W.  ^\^  AVittcu. 
A.  B.  Hanuner  and  J.  L.  Drt>wn  to  Cuthrie  for  a  confei'cnce 
with  other  representati\-e  men  i-elative  to  a  Territorial  con- 
vention; the  first  Youm:'  ^Ten's  Christian  Association  was 
organized  and  the  nucleus  of  its  library  was  a  histor\-  of  Chi- 
cago in  three  volumes  presented  by  Mrs.  "W.  H.  TTar])cr. 

Miss  Jessie  Hanuner  appears  to  have  been  tlie  first  public 
stenographer  in  the  city. 

CALL  Foi;  :\rAss  coxvKXxrox 

Oklahoma  City.  April  •2(1.  1SS!). 
"\A'e,  citizens  of  the  T'ity  of  Oklalinma.  i'e(|Uest  the  nieetim;- 
in  mass  convention  of  all  citizens  of  the  city  for  the  purpose 


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1:     i^^iw'' 


1      L      .'f 
'I 


94  THE  STOKV   OF  UKLAIIO.MA  (ITV 

of  iiuiuiiuithiy  a  tempera ry  uiayor  and  city  recordci-  to  hold 
their  offices  until  such  time  as  thei-e  may  be  elected  by  ballot 
their  successors,  which  election  siiall  be  held  within  five  days 
from  aud  after  the  election  of  said  temporary  mayor  and 
recorder.  Such  mass  meeting-  to  be  held  Ajn-il  27.  1889.  at 
the  hour  of  6:30  o"cloi-k  P.  ,M.,  and  every  citizen  of  said  city 
shall  be  entitled  to  a  voice.  'JMie  election  of  said  temporary 
mayor  and  recorder  shall  l)e  by  the  voice,  and  shall  vest  in 
them  the  jDower  to  appoint  ])oliee  to  preserve  the  order  of  said 
city,  and  the  power  to  call  said  e]ecti<in  for  permanent  mayor, 
recorder  and  prescrilje  the  manner  of  holding-  said  election. 
Said  mass  mcetini:;-  to  lie  held  at  the  corner  of  ^fain  and  Broad- 
way. 

Signed:  Ledru  Guthrie,  J.  B.  'Weaver  (not  a  citizen  of 
the  city  but  living  near  the  same),  John  B.  Banks,  S.  Lum 
Biedler,  W.  P.  Ea^ston,  J.  E.  Carson,  J.  I).  Drake,  T.  B.  Riley, 
G.  A.  Biedler,  p.  m..  0.  II.  Violet.  Sidnev  Clarke,  Bluford 
Wilson,  D.  A.  Harvey.  ^V.  P.  Shaw. 

Captain  Foi'bush  on  July  29th  reported  to  headquarters: 

"I  desire  to  be  informed  as  to  whether  the  city  of  Okla- 
homa have  the  right  to  extend  the  jurisdiction  of  their  jxilice 
beyond  the  city  limits  proijer  for  sanitary  |)urposes  only. 
There  are  quite  a  numfier  of  dead  cattle  lying  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  city,  having  been  afliicted  with  Texas  fever,  and  it  is 
purposed  to  have  the  decaying  bodies  disposed  of  by  the  city 
within  the  radius  of  five  miles  and  require  tin'  owners  of  the 
cattle  to  dis])ose  of  the  l)odies  themselves  in  case  of  future 
deaths."  (The  sanitary  jurisdiction  of  the  city  was  con- 
firmed.) 

"On  the  night  of  the  ■28th  inst.,  a  young  l-higlishman  ar- 
rived in  Oklahoma  who  was  to  joiu'a  settlement  of  his  jieojde 
between  Oklahoma  and  Fort  Reno.  He  was  introdnced  to  a 
gambling  den  by  'bunco-steerers,'  and  fleeced  of  about  8-")40. 
The  prevailing  opinion  ;iinoiig  the  better  jieople  seemed  to  be 
that  the  young  fellow  had  l)een  rolibed,  and  they  advised  him 
to  report  the  facts  to  the  prov<.st-niai-slial.  Captain  Stiles. 
Tenth  Infantr}-.  who  at  once  infurnied  nie  aliout  it.  and  at  the 
same  time  telling  nie  that  a  man  had  been  'sand-bjigged'  in 
the  same  i>lace  liut  a  short  time  since,  rolibed,  put  on  the  train 
and  sent  to  Texas.  ' 


M;1-:     :'!M-/t 


?^-f^ 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIOIMA  CITY  97 

"Tlicro  is  no  local  law  to  jircvcnt  .^anililiiiu-,  and  the  city 
authorities,  as  well  as  the  United  States  marshals,  fail  hi  take 
cognizance  of  those  eases. 

"In  the  interests  of  peace  and  good  order,  I  directed 
Captain  Stiles  .  .  .  to  break  this  gambling  den  u]*  and 
see  to  it  personally  that  the  occujiant  left  the  city.  They  have 
all  clei)arted."     (This  actinn  was  commended.) 

.  The  enteri^rising  individual  who  took  possession  of  the 
only  pump  in  Oklahoma  City  at  the  opening  and  sold  water 
at  so  much  a  drink  until  he  was  ousted  from  his  profitable 
"graft"  was  the  central  figure  of  an  incident  that  is  related 
in  a  report  of  Captain  Stiles  to  Inspector  General  Sanger: 

"I  have  the  honor  to  rep<irt  that  on  April  2:";,  1889,  the  day 
following  the  opening  of  Oklalionia,  a  gambler  fi-om  Chicaiio 
named  (i.  AV.  Cole,  took  })ossession  of  tlie  oidy  puui})  in  town 
and  sold  water  at  live  cents  a  drink.  The  man  sat  near  the 
pmnp.  and  was  armed  with  a  revolver,  Avhich  he  kejit  in  his 
la])  part  of  the  time.  He  collected  the  UKmey  himself,  and  had 
a  man  pump  the  water.  Tlu-re  were  ( tver  12,000  people  camped 
on  the  site  of  Oklahoma  at  the  time,  and  besides  this  pump 
there  were  only  tAvo  other  places  where  water  could  be  had— 
one  a  well  with  a  bucket  where  there  was  liut  little  water. 
and  the  other  at  the  railroad  tank,  and  here  the  supply  was 
limited. 

"The  i)t'o})le  were  suffering  for  water  and  ajipealed  to  me 
to  remove  ( 'ole.  saying  if  1  did  not  do  so  they  would  haiiu'  liim. 
Upon  iiupiiry  I  found  that  Cole  had  no  right  to  the  pump  or 
water,  and  at  once  rcuioxcd  him  and  ]ilac(Ml  a  guard  o\-er  the 
puni])  with  orders  to  allow  each  person  to  ha\-e  one  bucket  of 
water.  My  actiou  in  this  case  was  at  once  re^iorted  to  the 
conunandiiig  ofiicer.  Col.  J.  V.  Wade.  I'iffh  Ca\'alry,  and  ap- 
proved l)y  him." 

The  first  president  (d'  the  Commercial  Club  was  U.  Over- 
holsei';  James  (b'ar\-.  \-ice  president:  J.  P.  AlcKiunis.  second 
vice  presi(h'iit;  W.'ll.  El)ey.  secretary;  T.  M.  Kh'haidsou. 
treasurer.    Tlu>  memberslii[»  of  the  \-arious  connuittees  were: 

Executive- John  A.  Ulackburn.  ( ).  II.  Violet.  15.  X.  AV I- 

son.  AV.  L.  Couch,  C.  \V.  Price.  \V.  ( '.  W.'lls. 

Railn.ads— d.  A.  Idackburn,  C.  W.  Price.  AV.  11.  Kb.v.  T. 


.^'j^..  >  '>■■  :.,ri 


;r:  ..,j  H 


'       U 


A  .! 


98  THK  STORV  OF  OKLAHOMA   CITV 

M.  Richanlson,  (icii.  J.  U.  Weaver,  J.  K.  J..iies.  AV.  1..  ('(ni.-li, 
H.  OvorlioLser,  Jauies  (ieary. 

.Maimfaetiiriii,-— < '.  P.  Walker.  Jdm  Wand.  W.  L.  Kill- 
brew.  ^y.  L.  Plarvey.  K.  W.  Suvt'iiey.  F.  L.  llnur. 

Transijortatinii  and  Frei-tits — J.  I*.  .M(d\innis.  A.  L. 
Wcudford.  J.  J*.  Darlin-.  .John  Hro-an.  A.  L.  Friek.  W.  J. 
Pettee. 

Advertising— ().  II.  Vi..let.  11.  Q.  P>lakeney.  W.  H.  Ehey. 
H.  AV.  Winn.  J.  W.  Heard. 

Legislation— <i en.  J.  P>.  Weaver.  O.  H.  Violet,  ('apt.  A.  B. 
Hammer,  Ledru  Giitlirie.  Sidney  Clarke.  W.  L.  (\.ueh.  A.  C. 
Scott,  B.  X.  AA'oodson.  David  A.  Harvey. 

Finanee — James  (ieary,  W.  ('.  A\'ells.  Ledru  ( intlirie.  T.  :\I. 
Richardson.  Maj.  AV.  A.  .M..nroe. 

Education— A.  ( '.  S,(ptt,  It.  U.  Connella.  (.'.  A.  (iall)raitli. 
G.  A.  Beidler.  AV.  W.  Witten. 

EuH-ratiou- A"iet..r  Sherman.  (1.  AV.  .Aiassey,  AV.  H.  Dar- 
]-ongh.  (;.  AV.  A(huns.  H.  W.  Sawyer. 

Directors— ().  11.  Violet.  ( '.  P.  Walker.  James  Geary,  W.  A. 
Monroe.  ( '.  A.  Galhraith.  J.  A.  Blackl)urn,  A.  ( '.  Scott. 
AV.  ]..  Goueh.  A'ictor  Sheinian.  A.  L.  AVoodford.  W.  11.  Ebev. 
J.  AV.  Beard.  B.  X.  Wo,,dson,  G.  AV.  Price,  AV.  ,J.  Pettee, 
A.  B.  Hammer.  W.  AIe(  ilinehey.  .7.  E.  Brown.  AV.  E.  Har- 
vev.  E.  AA'.  Sweenev,  .1.  P.  Alcdvinnis. 


:  •  .(flKM,,!/. 
r  ..I  '!J  :t"m\ 


:   .<'    .-I--'^: 


1890— (iOVKRXMKXT   KSTAIM.ISH  Kl) 


J-'ivsident  Han-isoii  on  May  2(1  of  this  year  apprdvrd  what 
was  kiKiwn  as  the  OrL^aiiic  Act.  aiul  the  Tci'iatnry,  aft<'i-  hviw^ 
snspciKh'cl  for  nearly  a  ycai-  in  a  state  of  insei-m-ity.  was  in- 
vested with  a  local  Li'ovt'i-nnient.  (Jeor^e  A\'.  Steele,  who  had 
been  a  nieniher  of  Coni^ress  from  Indiana,  was  aitjxiinted 
,!^-overuor.  Robert  Maitin  of  \Vichita,  K'ansas.  was  named 
secretary.  Pivsident  Harrison  selected  .Matt  Reynolds  of 
Missouri  foi'  attorney  yenei-al  l>ut  shortly  before  the  names  (d' 
ai»pointees  wei'e  sent  to  the  Senate  influences  back  of  lloi'ace 
Speed  did  their  work  effecti^-(dy  and  Speed  was  nominated. 

The  first  'J'erriforial  election  was  ludd  ou  Au-irst  .Ith  and 
at  that  time  a  l^e,uislature  was  idiosen.  J-'ourteeii  I'epublicans 
were  electetl  to  the  House  of  Ke])resentat ixcs.  ei-ht  democrats 
and  foui-  (d'  the  alliance  })arty.  Tlu'  coiuicih  or  upper  house, 
consisted  of  six  republicans.  H\'e  di'mocrats  and  one  (d'  the 
allia)ice  jiarty.  The  second  council  district.  whi(di  embraced 
Oklahoma  County,  (de.-ted  James  L.  Hrown  of  Oklahoma 
<'ity.  Jolui  W.  Howard  and  Leand(U-<i.  Pitiuan.    Mendiers  of 

the  lower  house  fl'om  tile  second  le-islatix-e  di>trict  Were  Moses 
Xeal.  O.  (;.  Jones.  Samuid  1).  J\-ick.  Daui^d  W.  Peeiy  and 
Hu-h  (i.  Trosper.  Oklahoma  County  in  that  eliM-tion  .-ast 
about  thirty-ti\e  hundred  \(ites.  The  Legislature  couxeued  ou 
Au-ust  I'D.  In  view  (d'  tlie  auibition  of  Oklahoma  City  to  be- 
come the  ca]iital  (d'  the  Territ<u-\-.  that  matter  was  made  an 
issue  at  the  outs<d  of  oi'L^auizatitm  acti\-ities  and  the  Oklahoma 
City  delegates  supp.u'ted  X.  A.  Daniels  (d'  I'd  R.'Uo.  an  alliance 
member,  for  speaker,  presumably  in  return  for  a  prouuse  of 
at  least  fair  cousidei-atiou  of  Oklahouia  City's  (daim.  Coun- 
cihuan  Urown  in  Septend»er  introduced  in  the  u]>p<'r  house 
the  tii>t  bill  proxidin-  for  remo\-;d  (d' the  capital  to  Oklahoma 
( 'ity.  'J'his  was  council  bill  Xo.  7.  A  complete  history  of  the 
Huht  for  the  ca]>ital.  written  by  the  late  Frederick  S.  Uarde 
99 


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(■■'\1      ;;il-,7.MI 


100  THK  STORY   OF  OKLAHOMA   CITV 

and  api)(_'ariii.--  hi  aiKitlicr  (Iciiartiiiciit  of  this  Iiistorv,  (•oiitain.s 
details  of  early  overtures  and  adventures  in  the  tiuht. 

Anion,^-  early  arrivals  in  Washin.uton  this  ycai-  in  h^-half 
of  an  organized  -u\-crnnieut  for  the  Territory  Avere  Charles 
]■>.  Stuart  of  (Jainesville.  Texas  and  W.  A.  I.edI.etter  of  Ai-d- 
nio]-e,  the  former  interested  in  having-  a  Federal  court  estal)- 
lished  at  Ardniore  as  a  eonse(juence  of  an  organic  act  and  the 
latter  seekin.u'  the  designation  of  Ardniore  as  a  Federal  court 
seat.  Washinuton.  then  suii|ioi-tinL;-  a  repulilican  administra- 
tion, heard  the  noisy  cliimor  ,,f  deiiio.-rats  in  Oklahoma  and 
their  convention,  held  in  Oklahoma  City  on  .March  lltli.  and 
attended  by  250  dele.-ates,  sent  hillows  (d'  thunder  in  dramatic 
English  down  AVashin^ton  wa.w 

Organization  of  the  Tei  ritoiy  easily  cuuld  have  been  de- 
ferred too  long.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  douhtless  was  deferred 
too  long.  License  was  \-irtually  unrestrained  and  the  wonder 
is  that  life  and  safety  were  enjoyi-d  in  >\u-\\  cuusiderahle  meas- 
ure. E\-erywhere  it  was  lielie\-ed  that  this  small  area  would 
not  long  remain  the  area  of  the  Territory  (d'  Oklahoma,  that 
other  Indian  resei-vations  somi  would  he  opened  to  settlement. 
This  l)eli(d'  produced  miscldef  and  misehief  makers  scouted 
freeh'  about  in  large  and  gi-owing  numbers.  Man}-  of  them 
were  of  tlu^  original  lionuier  type.  They  demanded  the  open- 
ing of  the  Cherokee  Strip,  the  Sac  ;uid  Fox  and  I'ottawotoiiiie 
country  and  the  ( 'heyeiiiie  and  Arapaho  reser\-ations.  In  their 
idleness  and  impatience  and  anL;cr  they  cut  the  wire  fences 
of  the  cattlemen  in  the  Cherokee  Strip  and  became  so  notori- 
ou.sly  inimical  that  I'resideiit  1  lai-rison  sent  troojis  under  ( ien- 
eral  M<'rritt  to  pi'otect  ]ii-operTy  and  pieser\-e  ordcM'.  The 
establishment  <d'  a  loral  g^x  criiiiK  ut  did  not  at  once  l>ring 
nnri'st  and  discrder  to  an  end:  it  was  not  empowered  to  do 
that;  Imt  it  h.ad  a  salutary  and  stabjliziim  (dfect.  In  view  of 
the  proliable  .ipeiiiuL:  of  these  reservations  and  of  more  and 
more  insistent  demands  from  Oklahoma  <  "ity  residents,  a  land 
(.ffice  was  established  in  Oklali..ma  City  tl'iis  year  and  that 
institution  became  a  nia-iiet  in  the  path  (d'  the  adventurer. 
The  year  probal>!\-  wonld  ha\-e  been  ])rosaic  but  for  this.  f(U' 
de\-elo]iment  was  retaoh'd  by  uiieei-tainty.  The  ])ioueers  <-uii- 
tinue(l  to  build  h-itnes.  iiK'st  of  them  iiiexpensi\-e  atfairs.  and 
new  lines  of  Ihisjiuss  were  estal)li<]ied.  and  there  was  a  nmd- 


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tAI'TAI.V   A.    U.   IIAMM 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIn.MA  (ITV  10:J 

eratc  t;r<Avtli.  < '(irics[)(iii(l('iits  tor  ii('\vsi»aiHTs  of  Kansas 
City,  St.  Louis  and  Dallas  appraised  news  larudy  from  the 
sensational  A-ieAvpoint.  They  rcvrKMl  in  acrouuTs  of  murders, 
the  capture  of  outlaws,  the  cliasiim  of  train  lohbers  and  re- 
ported Indian  uprisings. 

l)isre,^■ard  for  even  the  rommou  law.  not  to  speak  of  that 
of  the  Federal  (iovernment  wdiidi  necessarily  was  in  foire. 
was  maynitied  l)y  the  extra  Aanant  freedom  exercised  liy  saloon 
keei)ers  all  owv  the  Territory.  This  hecame  so  notoi'ious 
and  so  iiroductive  of  crime  that  the  Pi'esident  ordered  I'nited 
States  Marshal  Walker  of  Kansas  to  raid  them,  l^iids  took 
place  in  Oklahoma  City,  Guthrie  and  Kin^lislu'r  Imt  tlieir 
effect  was  little  more  than  momentary.  Ten  days  later  forty 
saloons  were  doini;-  husiness  as  usual  in  Oklahoma  ( 'ity.  whei-e- 
upon  the  President  ordered  that  all  saloons  he  dosed  until  the 
organic  act  was  in  effect. 

In  the  Xovemher  election  1).  A.  Harvey  of  Oklahoma  City 
was  elected  as  the  Territory's  first  delegate  to  Couuress.  On 
Decemhe]'  liitli  (Joveruor  Steele  issued  a  call  for  an  elertiou  ii 
to  be  held  Decemher  'Mnh.  under  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  to 
create  puldic  school  disti-icts  and  establish  schools.  Women 
were  allowed  to  ^■ote  in  this  election.  Prior  to  this  (iovernor 
Steele  had  had  a  poll  taken  (d'  the  4ualiti.Nl  voters.  This  was 
the  cause  of  many  amusing  incidents.  Xot  a  few  a(h'enturers 
refused  to  disclose  their  political  affiliations  and  many  others 
declared  they  helouged  to  no  political  party.  A  few  demo-  - 
eratic  politi<-ians  took  advantage  <d'  the  occasion  to  charge 
that  the  i'e]>uhlicans  wi^re  taking  steps  to  huild  up  a  machine 
that  would  guarantee  the  control  of  the  Leuislature  and  prob- 
ably (d'  the  government  of  a  majority  of  the  counties. 

(lenerally  sp(>aking  crops  were  ] r  this  year,  so  extremely 

poor,  in  fact,  in  some  sections  that  honiestcaders  l»ei-ame  desti- 
tute. They  aii])ealed  to  the  President  for  assistance  and  the 
President  sent  (_'aptain  Burbaid;  of  the  War  Department  here 
to  make  an  in\-e.stigation.  He  I'eported  that  conditions  had 
been  exaggerated  but  that  lu'  found  a  few  cases  of  actual 
destitution.  P'or  these  he  recommended  financial  aid  and  also 
that  the  Government  assist  in  the  construction  (d'  roads  and 
bridges  and  fiu-nish  seed.  Appeals  for  aid  went  also  to  the  1 
railroads  and  these  at^reed  to  fuiiiish  seed  to  farn\ei's  at  cost. 


1.1 1..  J..,. 


.;l,-!  (1 


lOi  Tin:  STORY   OF  OKLAHOMA   CITV 

In  (Jklaliuina  ('(Hinty  (-(.ttou  had  been  fuuiid  to  be  a  inore 
clepeiulabk-  crop  than  the  siuall  -raiiLs  and  the  yiehl  this  year 
was  siittifient  to  warrant  the  erection  of  two  cotton  i;ins  in 
Oklahoma  City. 

XogToes  in  such  considerabh'  number  acquired  homesteads 
in  Loi^an  and  Oldalioma  counties  as  to  become  a  menace  to 

society,  in  tlie  oi.inion  of  whiter  whose  sentiments  were  tlms  | 

bent  on  the  race  (juestion,  and  tliese  whites  organized  a  sort  j 

of  anti-African  ku  kkix  kkin.    A\'lietlier  their  numbers  were  { 

exaggerated  is  not  known,  althougli  tliey  ])robably  were,  k'ad-  t 

ers  announced  that  in  April  the  organization  had  2,000  mem-  y" 

bers  in  forty  local  organizations  in  the  Territory.     Xegroes  ■ 

of  the  eastern  part  of  Oklahoiua  ('ounty,  where  they  lived  in  [. 

largest  numbers,  were  thrown  into  consternation  by  a  warning  j, 

that  they  nmst  desert  their  homesteads  by  A\nil  22d  or  sulfer  !: 

the  consequences.    They  gathered  in  Choctaw  City  for  defen-  'j 

sive  organization,  but  forcible  ejection  never  materialized.  | 

due  ]>rol.)al)ly  to  the  departure  of  a  few  negroes  and  the  sufft-  [ 

ciency  of  the  Government  in  prf)tection  measures.  > 

Cai)tain  Stiles'  soldiers  performed  many  a  duty.     The  ! 

memoirs  of  any  one  of  them  would  make  a  chapter  of  frontier  | 

history  more  interesting  than  the  hction  of  Zane  Grey.    A  new  t 

duty  devolved  upon  them  one  A]iril  day  of  this  year:  they  j 

were  called  upon  to  jn^event  the  rol)bery  of  the  Citizens  Bank.  | 

The  Dalton  l)and  of  outlaws  had  l)een  oi)eratiug  for  some  time  : 

in  the  Territories.     It  consisted  of  fearle.«s  desperadoes  who  j 

were  I'eputed  to  have  frightened  off  their  trails  all  Govern-  { 

ment  and  Indian  tribe  ot^icials  save  a  few  who  drove  them  \ 

often  into  seclusion.     From  an  unidentified  source  came  a  \ 

rumor  that  the  Daltons  or  some  otlier  band  had  phinned  to  \ 

rob  the  bank  at  noon  on  April  7th.    It  was  dispatched  to  the  i 

military  headquarters  and  a  dt'tail  of  soldiers  was  assigned  to  ; 

guard  the  ])ank.    The  news  traveled  (piickly  over  the  city  and  j 

the  countryside.     The  excited  populace  never  (piestioned  the  t 

authenticity  of  the  rumor.     Tliat  was  seldom  done  in  these  j 

days  when  anything  was  likely  to  happen.     Some  of  them  i 

went  into  seclusiuii.  others  behind  makeshift  l)reastworks  and  ';. 
others    into   the   open    bearin--   arms.      Prom[)tIy   at    noon    a 
stran-er  of  suspicious  appearance  riding  a  horse  and  leading 

two  others  dismounted  near  the  liank.     He  made  a  hast\-  visual  ; 


YH^  ''!■>'  :-irr 


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p.     -.d! 

'f.Ttfi  i-.'iiih.. 

THE  yT(JRY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  105 

survey  of  the  surrouiidiuys,  then  rouK muted  aud  nule  away. 
Who  the  strauger  was,  ■where  he  cauie  froiu  aud  whitlu'r  he 
went  noljody  seemed  heiit  on  aseertaiuiiig. 

Governor  Steek^  ou  June  Tth  aj^poiuted  teuqiorary  ofhcers 
in  each  of  the  eouuties.  Those  for  "Second"  (Oklahouia) 
County  were  indueted  into  ohiee  on  June  ITtli.  A.  B.  Haui- 
nier,  the  prol)ate  judge,  having  hcen  given  the  oath  of  ofhe-i' 
by  the  Territorial  secretary,  administered  the  oath  to  tlie 
other  county  otficials.  The  other  officials  were:  John  ^1. 
Martin,  clerk;  H.  H.  Howard,  attorney;  C  H.  DeF.u'd. 
sheriff;  Levi  Bixler,  treasurer;  M.  I).  Kust,  surveyor;  and  W. 
T.  Higgins  (who  was  elected  chairman),  Franklin  Springer 
and  J.  A.  Hartzell,  connnissioners.  During  the  first  session 
of  the  Commissioners'  Court  bids  for  furnishing  a  building 
for  a  temiDorary  coimty  courthouse  were  sul)mitted  l)y  W.  J. 
Pettee  and  Hem-y  Ovcrholser,  the  former  offering  a  building 
at  ^[ain  and  Broadway  and  the  latter  a  building  at  Grand 
and  R(ibinson.    The  contract  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Overliolser. 

J.  H.  AVoods  and  others  ou  July  1st  filed  with  the  coimuis- 
sioners  an  apjdication  for  an  order  incorporating  the  village 
of  Oklahoma  City.  Owing  to  contests  on  some  of  the  tracts 
having  l)ecn  filed  in  the  land  office,  the  commissioners  declined 
to  take  action.  At  a  meeting  on  July  12tli  they  reconsidered 
that  action  l)ut  deferi-ed  further  cousidei'ation  of  the  matter. 
Meantime,  T).  C.  Lewis  and  others  filed  a  petition  asking  that 
a  tract  <if  land  described  as  the  southwest  quarter  of  si'ction 
33,  township  12  north,  range  3  west,  lie  stricken  from  the  list 
of  tracts  mentioned  iu  the  Woods'  ijetitiou.  At  a  suliscqneut 
meeting  the  board  toolc  judicial  notice  of  Gcoi-ge  E.  Thoru- 
ton's  having  secured  from  the  District  Court  an  order  i-e- 
straining  the  conuuissiouers  fr<iui  iuchiding  in  any  corpora- 
tion the  northeast  quarter  of  section  4.  towusliip  11  uortli. 
range  3  west.  This  order  a  few  days  latei'  was  dissolved  and 
on  July  15th  the  board  jiroinulgatcd  its  iucoi'])oration  order, 
providing  that  the  village  of  Oklahoma  ('it\-  shoidd  embrace 
the  south  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  :',:!.  the  south- 
west quarter  of  section  33  aud  the  northeast  ([uarter  of  sec- 
tion 4. 

In  the  same  order  the  conniiissioncis  apjiointed  a  board 
of  trustees  for  the  town  government,   consisting  of  1).   ^\'. 


.(    •.  J")';    ,  ■  u.//' 


i|->    .ir'KiiU 


1U6  TIIK  STORY   OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

Gihbs,  T.  .J.  Watson,  X.  J^iittoii,  Saiimel  Frost  and  llenn' 
Overholscr.  (iil)l)s  was  elected  president  of  the  board  and  in 
that  capacity  exercised  the  (hities  of  mayor.  J.  M.  Martin, 
connty  clerk,  a<lniinistered  the  oatli  of  office.  Ta/.wcdl  M.  Tp- 
shaw  was  chosen  clerk.  Thv  hrst  meeting  was  held  on  duly 
22d.  The  first  communication  read  was  from  County  Attor- 
ney II.  PI.  Howard  who  asked  ]>ermission  t<j  meet  with  thci 
board  to  give  advice  as  to  iiriu-edure.  The  tirst  resolution 
placed  of  record  called  for  an  election  to  l)e  htdd  in  August  to 
submit  the  matter  of  con^•erting  the  Adllage  into  a  cit\'  of  the 
second  class  and  di\'iding  it  into  four  wards  and  ek'cting 
officers.  One  of  the  first  contracts  eJitered  into  by  the  officials 
authorized  the  law  firms  of  Blue  t^:  Douglas  and  Hanuuer  lV: 
Woods  to  represent  the  town  government  in  contests  }iending 
iu  the  United  States  land  office  involving  the  entries  <d'  Touis 
O.  Dick,  James  Murray  and  0.  AV.  Patrick. 

In  the  Augiist  election  AV.  d.  (iault  was  elected  mayor;  T. 
M.  Up.shaw,  clerk;  W.  W.  AVitten.  indice  judge;  M.  S.  Miller, 
trea-surer ;  and  Dr.  C.  A.  Peyton,  J.  R.  Bairows.  J.  AV.  Boles. 
J.  A.  Ryan.  John  Rowick.  F.  A'.  Bi-andon.  John  Brogan  and 
X.  X.  ?fcliller,  aldermen.  Doctor  l*eyton  was  elected  president 
of  the  i-ouncil.  Charles  F.  Coh-oi'd  was  a]ipointed  marshal 
and  T.  (A  Smith,  street  connnissioner.  X'"ecessary  ordinances 
were  enacted  with  rapidity.  One  (d'  tliem  made  the  statt'  of 
intoxication  a  misdemeanor,  anotlier  lu-ohibited  disturbaiici' 
of  the  peace  an<l  another  regidated  the  sale  (d'  intoxicating 
liquoi's.  Another  tixed  the  salary  (d'  the  ma\or  at  ^1'->I)  a  year 
and  the  salary  of  the  marshal  at  s^.lO  a  month.  On  Xo\-ember 
2Gth  the  council  granted  a  franchise  to  the  Oklahoma  City 
Idght  cV:  Dower  Cnm]iany  and  tins  conijiany  installed  the  fii'st 
electric  lighting  system.  A  franchise  was  granted  to  the 
Choctaw  (^'oal  cV:  Railway  Com]iany  which  autluu-ized  the  com- 
l)any  to  use  First  Sti'eet  as  a  riglit  of  way.  It  Liranted  a  \vater 
franchise  to  W.  A.  Calhoun  and  J.  II.  AVheeler. 

David  A.  Ilai'vey  was  liorn  at  Stewiacke.  Xova  Scotia. 
^larch  20,  1S4.').  His  j.areids  emigrated  fi'om  Canada  when 
he  was  six  weeks  old.  s.'ttling  in  ( )hio.  At  the  age  of  sixteen. 
he  enlisted  in  the  l-"oni-th  Ohio  \'olunteer  Ca\-alry  and  ^vas 
discharged  from  the  nulitary  ser\ice  at  the  end  (d'  the  war. 
after  ha\-ing  served  coutimiously  f(U'  thi-ee  and  oiiedialf  xcars. 


Til    - 


■  1 1       111    '  1 , 


THE  STOKV  OF  OKLAHO.MA  ClTV  107 

After  attciulhii;-  the  sfssidiis  of  Miami  riii\fi'j?ity  for  a  time, 
ho  studied  hnv  and  was  achiiitted  ti>  the  hai-  in  lS(i9.  Moving 
westward,  lie  settled  at  Toi)eka,  Kansas,  where  he  en^a^cd  in 
the  practice  of  law.  servi'd  as  city  attorney  and  as  prohate 
judye.  He  hecame  interested  in  the  <  >klahoiiia  movement  and 
was  active  iu  the  aijitation  for  the  opcinn-  <d'  the  Oklahoma 
country  to  settlement.  He  was  anioiiu  the  i»ioneeis  who  came 
into  the  country  on  the  day  of  the  openin-'.  locatinii  at  Okla- 
homa City,  April  22.  1SS9.  lie  was  iioniinati'd  for  dele-ate 
to  Congress  h\-  the  Territorial  re[»nhlican  convention,  at 
Guthrie,  Octoht^r  18,  1800,  and.  on  Xoveml)er  4th,  he  was 
elected  to  serve  Ijoth  the  long  and  short  terms,  takhig  his  seat 
when  the  Fifty-tirst  Congress  reconvened,  in  December,  1890, 
and  serving  until  the  tiual  adjournment  of  the  Fifty-second 
Congress,  March  3,  1893.  ^Ir.  Harvey  sulisequcntly  located 
at  'Wyandotte,  where  he  died,  May  23,  191(i.— Thol)nrn. 

Latest  developments  in  the  contests  touching  three  tracts 
occupied  as  a  town  are  shown  in  this  abstract  of  land  office 
proceedings:  Sections  -l  and  4  of  township  11  north,  range 
3  west,  and  the  southeast  (piarter  of  section  33,  and  the  south- 
west quarter  of  section  34.  townshi})  12  north,  range  :'.  west, 
are  bottom  land,  but  the  north  half  of  sections  3,3  and  :'.4  are 
rolling  ui)lands.  with  a  gradual  slope  to  the  south.  Tlie  be- 
ginning of  this  elevation  is  about  one  thousand  feet  south  i>t' 
the  south  line  of  the  north  half  of  those  sections.  There  is  a 
small  ravine  on  the  line  dividing  sections  :]'.]  and  3,4.  each  sec- 
tion having  a  gi-adual  slo)»e  thereto. 

I'rior  to  noon.  April  22.  1889.  thei'e  had  been  constructed 
and  was  in  operation  a  railroad.  kno\vii  as  the  Aldiison.  4'o- 
peka  and  Santa  Fe.  running  in  a  southw<:sterly  dii-ectiou  d,,wn 
the  ravine,  and  on  the  line  dividing  the  sections  mentioned. 
At  a  point  about  800  feet  north  n\'  the  point  where  the  sections 
corner  was  located  the  station,  freight  and  ]iassenger  depot, 
side  tracks  and  water  tank.    Xear  the  depot  was  the  post  office. 

At  noon  on  that  day  al)out  thirt\'  people  were  at  the  sta- 
tion and  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  Jifty  in  that 
vicinity.  At  noon,  Charles  Chambeilain,  a  ci\  il  I'ngiueer  and 
a  resident  of  Creat  ]5end.  Kan.,  was  at  the  station  with  a  plat 
which  he  had  pre\-ioiisly  made,  of  a  lu'oposed  town  to  be  known 
as  Oklahoma  Citv.  to  embrace  the  n<ii'th  halt  of  the  noi-theast 


;f  Milt   V 


1<    ,    'I   >     1,1'  •;>:!,'. i    ,.;      (         .    ^  U.ri 


;■■    ii:  ir,/  .,.-   .     ,  :    i. 

:M    i^  'i    !'    ■  :■:.  i^r,     i! '   ill  ■lYiJ-i);  ;•'};•// 

!,     -; '  ■  '    :■•',■■    ■    ^   7Mt;    :„>, 

.5!  '      •  .        i       ■■      '         ,7i!'.>      :..i\<-    • 

.    '■  ,7-'.l    .:!rx  .  '■■■  ' 


l.i^i.  .       ;7 


108  THE  STORY  OF  oKLAIliXMA  CITY 

qiuulcr  of  section  4,  the  southeast  ((uarter  of  seetion  ;>3  and 
tlie  south  half  of  the  northeast  <iuarter  of  section  ?>'o.  He  was 
at  the  station  to  sur\cy  the  ^i-oinid  into  h)ts,  l)hicks,  streets 
and  alk'vs  at  the  instance  of  a  ]irivatc  citizen,  whose  name  he 
refused  to  disclose  in  this  case.  At  two  niinutt's  past  noon  he, 
with  six  assistants.  l)ejj,an  the  survey  about  1,728  feet  north 
of  the  south  line  of  section  33,  and  ran  the  south  line  of  ^lain 
Street  west  and  at  ri,i;ht  an.ules  with  the  railroad  a  distance 
of  two  blocks.  He  then  returned  and  I'an  the  east  line  of 
Broadway  south  from  Main  one  block  and  a  half.  Then  he 
ran  the  east  line  to  the  north  line  of  the  south  half  of  the  north- 
east quarter  of  section  33,  this  line  being  run  at  1  o'clock,  and 
small  stakes  one  inch  square  were  driven  on  the  lines  of  the 
survey.  Returning  to  Main  Street  lie  extended  the  south  line 
to  the  west  line  of  the  east  half  of  seetion  33.  Broadway  was 
located  at  right  angles  with  Main  Street  about  four  hundred 
feet  west  of  the  east  line  of  sei-tion  33. 

At  once,  after  the  survey  was  begun,  the  people  present 
began  to  stake  lots  on  ^lain  and  Broadway,  and  on  the  com- 
mons on  the  southea.st  quarter  of  section  33.  About  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  people  settled  upon  this  southeast  quarter  be- 
fore 2  o'clock  and  10  minutes  P.  M.  of  that  day. 

Several  hundred  of  the  thousands  of  people  who  had  con- 
gregated at  Purcell  l)efore  the  (q)ening  day  had  decided  to 
locate  at  Oklahoma  station,  and  to  establish  a  town  to  he 
known  as  Oklahoma  T'ity  on  the  east  half  of  section  3;).  The 
train  on  the  Santa  Fe  left  Purcell  at  noon,  and  before  it  ar- 
rived at  Oklahoma  station  it  was  arranged  that  one  of  their 
numl)er,  Peter  (i.  I'Jurnes.  a  civil  engineer,  should  survey  the 
townsite.  The  train  arrived  at  2:10  P.  M..  and  2,UI)0  uf  the 
people  thereon  left  the  train  and  went  in  various  directions 
to  locate  lots,  but  the  greater  number  went  west  and  north  of 
the  depot  and  settled  upon  the  southeast  (piarter  of  section  33. 
After  the  arrival  of  the  train  Peter  (i.  Purnes  made  ]ire]iara- 
tions  to  survey  the  townsite  and  (le\-oted  the  remainder  of  the 
day  to  tinding  the  townshij)  line,  from  which  he  intended  to 
start.  He  first  surveyed  Reno  A\-enue.  located  on  the  town- 
ship line,  then  California  Avemie,  then  (irand  Avenue.  He 
was  about  three  weeks  doing  this  work.  About  the  middle  of 
Mav   he   beu'an   to   survev   the    north    half   of    the    northeast 


■/;    ;it 


>-«H'    ■    .:(     v.il       •.' 


•I'll     I.;,..     .       .       :     ■■    1:-..  -,>*    VJ^     fiilV^ 


'    I  :  ;!'H  !<l  ■    !< 


*  -.1 


--1  .li 


I';,  ;-,.!,, 


■'C^/-J/0 


PRKSKXT   SITK   OF  trL13i:i;TS0N'   lU'lLDlM  1.   llKnADWAV   AM)   (MIAXI)    A\-i:xrK 


THE  STOIfY   OF  (IKLAIIO.AIA  CITY  111 

(|Uart(-'i'  and  was  incvi'iitcd  t'roiu  ddiiiu  so  liy  forcu.  The  dif- 
fer t'liccs  between  the  C'lianiherlain  and  Buiiies  surveys  \vrre 
sul)se<|ueutly  adjusted,  whieh  sur\  eys  locate  Oklalionui  City 
on  the  east  half  of  section  :i:>.  l)nt  the  nortli  half  of  the  north- 
east (juarter  was  never  sin-veyed. 

The  application  for  the  townsite.  tiled  l)y  l.ouis  ().  Dick  as 
trustee,  on  the  o[K'nin,i;-  day.  named  the  soutli  half  of  the  uoi'th- 
east  (juarter  and  southeast  ({uarter  of  section  '■)?>.  and  the  north 
half  of  the  northeast  quai-ter  of  section  4. 

At  the  time  this  case  was  tried  in  the  land  oftire,  in  the  lat- 
ter half  of  1S90.  the  population  located  on  the  <'ast  half  (d' 
section  3:3  numl)ered  about  two  thousand  three  hundred  and 
seveiity-cigiit  ijersons;  most  of  the  l)usiness  district  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  population  in  the  southeast  quarter. 

The  contest  which  oi'lginated  this  suit  in  the  land  office 
was  (,)ver  the  northeast  (piarter  (d'  section  :!:■>.  which  was  in- 
cluded in  the  original  townsite  and  was  also  sought  as  a  home- 
stead. The  following  descripti(m  found  in  the  hndinus  is  a 
part  of  history : 

Samuel  Crocker,  as  a  member  of  the  Payne  colony,  was 
in  Oklahoma  in  the  year  1885.  and  at  several  times  suljse(|Uent 
to  that  date,  during  which  time  he  resided  in  Kansas.  lie 
came  to  Oklahoma  station  :\Iarcli  2.  1889,  and  establislicd  a 
residence  at  that  place.  Immediately  after  12  o'clock  jioon. 
April  22,  he  settled  upon  the  north  half  of  the  nortlieast 
quarter  of  section  33  and  established  a  residence  where  he 
lived  up  to  the  date  of  this  suit.  Soon  after  hi'  went  ui»on 
the  land  he  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground,  had  some  ])lowinu  done. 
and  erected  a  tent  in  which  to  live.  By  the  2(ith  of  A]Mil  he 
had  three  or  four  acres  liroken.  and  sul)se(|uenlly  had  tlnrt)- 
three  aci'es  l)roken.  He  erected  a  frame  house  12  by  Ki  feet 
in  size,  witli  one  addition  lb  l)y  24  feet  in  size,  and  another  S 
by  Ki  fi'et.  lie  erectetl  a  stalde  and  dug  a  cistern  and  well  and 
built  a  chicken  house.  He  fenced  six  or  sevcui  a<-res  near  the 
house  and  put  ui>  300  rods  of  wire  fence.  He  set  out  an 
or(4iard  of  two  acres,  se\-enty-ti\-e  shade  trees,  plante.l  iwo 
acres  of  watermelons  and  cantaloupes,  one  ai-re  (d'  buckwheat 
and  two  acres  of  tnriups.  On  the  21tli  (d'  A]M-il  he  made  home- 
stead entry  Xo.  3.:'.  of  the  north  half  <.f  tlie  northeast  (piarter. 

All  this  hai)i.en.'d.  according  to  the  tindin^s  (d'  the  land 


!■■  .lil 


1  .'>^  'io  ^}Ij;i!  i-</:'i   .iij  II.. 

•.  •  /  'I!  -r,v,'  -iMtiMij,   (-,/;•) 

-->..>     Mini-  :<!'■,' 


-,!fl^    ■      il     I    M,,?        / 


112  THE  STUEV  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

ufficf.  (.11  land  now  (•(.vorcd  hy  l)nsiiu'ss  and  rosideiK-c  liuusc^ 
ueai-  the  heart  of  Okhihoina  ( 'ity. 

But  at  noon  on  April  l>2.  Frank  M.  ( Janlt.  \y\u>  liad  livc^l 
twelve  miles  east  <.f  the  i.ast  line  of  Oklahoma  'J'erntorv. 
started  from  that  line  and  arrived  at  and  settled  upon  th.- 
northeast  (piart^'r  of  section  ;;:l  at  1  o'clock  and  10  minutes 
past  iK.on.  On  the  foll,Avin,u  dav  h..  had  the  land  surve\ed 
and  put  up  a  tent,  and  later  di<l  sonu-  plowin-  and  nia-h-'im- 
provemeuts  of  various  kinds.  Wlu-n.  on  .Mav  17,  he  madr 
application  to  enter  the  tract  for  a  homestead  liis  ai»pli(-ation 
was  rejected  as  I.ein-  in  coiiHict  with  the  entrv  of  Cnx-kcr 
on  the  north  half  of  the  -juarter  and  with  the  townsite  ai.i.lu-a- 
tionofDick. 

Three  men  named  Fuller  had  eaeh  made  ai.].liratioii  for 
entry  of  this  quarter  for  homestead  purj.oses.  Besides  tlu' 
claimants  who  eontested  foi'  this  j.artieular  quai-ter  section 
as  a  homestead,  a  man  named  Oeor-e  Iv  Tlu.rntoii.  who  had 
been  a  government  frei-hter  previ<nis  to  the  oj.eniim-  and 
resided  in  a  house  on  the  northeast  (piarter  of  section  4.  laid 
claim  to  this  .piarter  section  for  homestead  ]nirposes.  hi  the 
findings  is  other  evidence  regarding  the  settlement  of  Kdward 
DeTar,  Meshack  Cou.-h  and  Thomas  AVright,  who  had  I.een 
in  government  service  in  the  country  prior  to  the  opeiiin-  an<l 
had  located  on  lands  immediately  after  noon  of  the  opeiiin- 
day. 

Besides  the  matters  of  histoi-y  involved  in  these  Hiidiii-s, 
the  register  and  receiver  of  tlie  land  oflice,  in  sumniin-  u],  the 
evidence,  gave  their  (hM-ision  on  the  rights  ,d'  the  lioniestead- 
er  as  against  the  townsite  claimant,  and  that  decision  is  an 
imi.ortant  review  of  this  suliject. 

"At  one  o'clock  and  ten  minutes  p.  m.  of  dav  Frank  :M. 
Oanlt,  a  .lualihed  homesteader,  setth-d  u].on  the  noitheast 
quarter  (.f  said  se.-tion  as  a  homestead,  and  has  since  resided 
thereon  and  maintained  his  settlement  rights,  and  that  at  the 
time  of  his  said  settlement  n,.  settl.-meut  had  he.^n  nuule 
thereon  for  the  purpose  (d'  trade  and  l.usiness. 

"It  is  insisted  hy  the  townsite  claimants  that  OklalK.ma 
station  was  a  prospective  townsite;  that  i)ers.,ns  at  Pur.-ell 
and  elsewhei-e  had  decided  {,,  ],„.nte  a  town  on  the  said  half 
section  as  soon  after  noon  ,,f  said  dav  as  it  coid.l  he  ivached  • 


i1-^ 


■;  j>^fi  ..iv/  .11/ 


!(;•■   i   .;  J  ;i   .|/.  n  i.    ••;  triH 

:jii    i>f.')     -f!-)    ,.■•■    >;:■     --.liiU   •)-.■)■///) 
■  ■v\  ■  .   Miiii     .■('    :i,il1   11.11  <1    ')''*■<■)■*«! 


.").f1 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  113 

that  i)crsoiis  settled  ui)uu  the  southeast  quarter  at  (»nre  after 
said  hour;  that  the  survey  of  the  towu  was  Ijeyun  at  that  time  ; 
that  by  hiw  such  towusite  settlers  were  entitled  to  euter  320 
acres  of  land;  that  a  settlement  njjon  any  portion  of  it  segre- 
gated the  whole  320  acres;  that  the  settlement  upon  the  south- 
east quarter  segregated  the  northeast  quaiter  also,  and  that 
homestead  claimants  were  bound  to  take  notice  of  these  facts. 

"It  is  settled  by  an  unbroken  line  of  decisions  that  settlers 
for  homestead  and  townsite  purposes  are  governed  l»y  the 
same  rules  of  law,  acquire  their  rights  in  the  same  way — l)y 
actual  selection  and  settlement — and  that  such  rights  date 
from  the  first  initial  act.  Sjjeaking  (»n  this  subject,  in  the  case 
of  Kingfisher  vs.  Wood,  et  al.,  the  honorable  assistant  <-onnnis- 
sioner  says,  'A  body  of  jieople  coming  togethei-  with  a  counn(jn 
purpose  of  locating  a  town  upon  public  land,  have  no  greater 
rights  under  the  law  than  a  homestead  settler,  they  are  upon 
the  same  footing,  and,  as  in  this  case,  their  rights  nuist  be  de- 
termined according  to  the  priority  of  their  initial  acts." 

"Gault's  first  initial  act  as  a  homestead  claimant  was  his 
actual  settlement  upon  the  northeast  (juarter  at  one  o'ddck 
and  ten  minutes  p.  ni.  of  said  day  and  the  real  question  is: 
Was  the  land  at  that  time  suljject  to  homestead  entry?  All 
lands  in  Oklahoma  were  subject  to  homestead  entry  ttnless 
they  had  been  selected  or  settled  upon  and  oc(-u])ied  for  pur- 
poses of  trade  and  business.  At  that  tune,  had  this  ([uarter 
section  been  selected? 

"It  is  true  that  the  proposed  settlers  at  Purccll  had  de- 
cided to  locate  the  to^-n  on  this  half  section,  l)ut  they  were 
not  settlers  nor  occupants  of  the  land  or  any  ]iortion  of  the 
same  and  were  i)rohibited  from  making  such  settlement  prior 
to  noon.  The  land  department  has  always  distinguished  lie- 
tween  a  settlement  and  an  intention  to  settle.  The  declara- 
tions of  the  settlers  while  at  Purccll  show  an  intention  to 
settle,  but  such  an  intention  did  not  scLiregate  the  land  from 
homestead  entry.  In  Keith  vs.  Townsite  of  (irand  d unction, 
3  L.  D.,  431,  Secretary  Teller  uses  this  language:  'I  had  no 
intention  to,  n(U'  did  1,  ruh^  that  a  townsite  could  not  l)e- 
selected  by  a  few  itersons;  but  1  found  as  a  fact  that  the  per- 
sons who  made  this  selection  wei'e  not  settlers  on  tlie  land, 
and  that  they  did  not  go  upon  it  foi-  tlie  ])Uri)ose  of  then  l)e- 


Uii\-  ,ii;'u 


iji-rj  ■■  ;  ■  ■  '  'J-  ;. 


■;    rn  .-:   >1;    ■.'.,;lv;oiiH-l:. 
<'■'■'     ■■■!  ■- ".    ■.•■'i:ivj  iiivj-'     'Uliin 


,/f    :l       I.     -!>I(CJ    •:iil. 


.;;  Ir;  V::A  r<.;) 


;'.,:,:„ 

1     T'.)n 

,;■]      .[,-, 

-f  ot 

■  '■   ').- 

>    ■■: 

1     ,i   ' 

:.,     I. 


114  .    THK  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO^rA  CITY 

coining  settlers;  and  I  ruled,  as  a  matter  of  law.  that  sueli 
persons  were  not  coniix'tent  t<>  make  a  legal  seU'etitm.'  In 
Kingfisher  vs.  AVood.  et  al.,  the  hdm-rahle  assistant  (•(anmis- 
siouer  says:  'Undonhtcdlv  the  first  act  in  locating  a  town 
nnder  the  jinldic  land  laws,  is  thr  selection  of  its  site,  and 
withont  defining  jnst  what  acts  cunstiti;te  a  selection  it  is 
sufficient  to  say  that  there  can  he  no  legal  selection  for  snch 
purpose  without  a  persi.nal  inspection  and  examination  of  the 
land  by  some  of  the  i)eople  locating  thereon  or  their  agent. 
The  theory  that  the  people  asscnil.led  at  Buffalo  Springs.  I.  T., 
April  22.  1889,  legally  selected  the  north  half  of  the  section 
in  question  as  the  townsite  of  Kingfisher,  cannot  for  a  mo- 
ment be  entertained.  At  that  time,  these  people  had  never 
seen  the  land,  and  by  the  act  of  Congress  and  the  President's 
proclamation.  al)Ove  referred  to.  they  were  prohibited  from 
examining  the  same,  either  in  pei'son  oi'  through  agent." 

''The  evidence  shows  that  at  noon  there  wei'e  al)out  one 
Imndred  and  fifty  ])ersons  in  the  \icinit}  of  Oklahoma  station. 
and  that  between  that  hour  and  one  o'clock  they  settled  upon 
said  southeast  quarter.  l)ut  the  preponderance  of  evidence  is 
against  such  settlement  ha\ing  Itt'cn  made.  The  evidence 
does  not  .show  that  any  of  snch  ]ierson>  selected  any  })articular 
half  section  fiu'  the  townsite.  Besides,  they  were  in  the  terri- 
tory at  noon  and  made  selection  of  lots  inunediately  after 
that  hour.     Having  at  once  made  selections  and  being  in  the 


territory 

at  , 

a  1 

;inie 

wl 

len  they  c 

oul. 

1  noi 

t  hav( 

■  cm 

le  fr.nu  the 

line  aftei 

•  no 

(»ii 

.tin 

:■  fa 

ir  presun 

il)ti( 

>n  is 

;  that  they 

■  wer.^  there 

illegally 

for 

tl 

'•■   1 

nil] 

.ose   of   t;i 

ikin: 

-  la 

lids. 

Tt  i 

s  true   that 

Charles  ( 'ha 

ml 

)erh 

lin. 

the  civil 

engine. 

■r.  ha 

d  a 

plat  .)f  the 

town  wli 

ich 

en 

iVer( 

"d  1 

lalf   of  s; 

li.l   , 

i|iiai 

■t.'r  s 

e.-tio 

n.   and  was 

there  for 

the 

'   1' 

urp. 

MS,. 

of  lavinu' 

til.' 

sam 

.•  off 

int.. 

l..ts.  bl.K-ks. 

streets  ai 

1(1  a 

He 

'VS. 

hut 

he  had  .In 

>n.'  1 

nit  1 

ittle  . 

uirvc 

■ying  before 

Gault's  s 

ettl 

en 

lent 

,  an 

id  that  w' 

hi.-h 

he 

did  (1 

io  w; 

is  \\]u,u  the 

southeast 

(|U 

ar 

tcr. 

exc 

ept  the   11 

iimi 

ng  . 

.f  ..ne 

'  line 

■  of  a  street 

to  the  eel 

Iter 

ot 

■  sai 

dn. 

iirtlieast  (( 

iiarl 

t.'i-. 

Whi 

!<■  w. 

■  f..iiii«l  that 

such  line 

ha. 

1  1, 

icell 

rill 

1  at  that  time. 

the 

evi.l. 

'11. -e 

is  very  con- 

dieting  u 

poll 

tl 

Kit   i 

'I'"- 

<\\nU.      Sii 

.•li  1 

ille   1 

ili.l  n. 

.f  ..f 

itself  sli..w 

for  what 

imi 

p. 

.s(.  i 

t  w; 

IS  run  or  t 

hat 

it  w 

asth. 

■  line 

'  u\'  a  str.M't. 

Chamber 

lain 

i   1 

lillls 

elf 

was   iidii- 

■ri'si 

<l..nl 

.    lia.l 

[  c.niie   int.>   the 

territory 

iUe 

ua 

lly. 

am 

1   couM   nn 

it  111; 

:ike 

tlie  s( 

•le.-ti 

on  for  him- 

.1  ■'■•->.  ;.;iir 


j:  r,'i-     ;;     LlMil-.    ••!     ttt 


I.     ;>.    -.11    -.J   it,-       i  >n 


•■!  ^'i'  ;:)i{;r;3 


liil  J  .;i.- 
:.';i  .•■Ml 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  115 

self  or  any  uue  else,  had  he  attempted  t()  do  so.  It  doe.s  not 
ap^jeai'  that  the  person  who  proeiired  his  services  was  at  that 
time  or  ever  sinee  has  been  a  settler  upon  the  land  or  a  person 
competent  to  make  a  sele<'tion  or  settlement.  It  does  n(jt  ap- 
pear that  Chamberlain  represented  or  was  aetimi'  for  the 
settlers  present,  nor  does  it  aftirmati\ely  ap[)ear  tliat  there 
was  a  single  settler  upon  said  half  seetion  who  had  conie  from 
the  line  after  ntnm  of  said  day.  The  burden  of  proof  is  upon 
the  townsite  claimants  to  show  a  legal  and  valid  selection  and 
settlement  of  the  land  to  segregate  it  from  honn'sti'ad  entry. 
''It  is  true  that  a  reasonable  numl)er  of  persons  ma>-  settle 
upon  the  public  domain  for  the  purpose  of  trade  or  l)nsiness 
and  that  they  may  embrace  in  the  townsite  entry  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres,  even  though  their  actual  settlement  is 
all  uixm  one  quarter,  Init  to  hold  the  other  quarter  section  as 
against  a  homestead  claimant  such  settlers  must  make  a  selec- 
tion of  such  quarter  before  the  initiation  of  the  homestead 
right.  'To  select  is  to  choose,  to  set  apart,  to  designate.'  C. 
P.  L.  L.,  page  1297.  Xo  townsite  settler  had  at  the  time  (d' 
Gault's  settlement,  selected,  set  apart  or  designated  the  north- 
east quarter  as  a  part  of  the  townsite.  It  may  ]>e  true  that 
Gault  was  bound  to  know  that  the  town  was  entitled  to  cuter 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  but  he  was  not  Ixiund  to  know 
that  such  settlers  were  going  to  claim  this  tract  of  laud,  llow 
was  he  to  know  Imt  that  the  (piarter  section  east,  west  or  south 
might  be  selected?  He  was  bound  only  to  initiate  his  home- 
stead right  to  }irevcnt  tlie  lands  from  l)eing  taken  as  a  t<iwn- 
site  and  townsite  <-laimants  were  liound  to  initiate  their  claim 
to  .segregate  the  lands  fn.m  homestead  eiitiy.  The  fact  that 
Gault  settled  near  a  proposed  townsite  cannot  l)e  accej>te(l 
as  evidence  (d'  bad  faith.  The  f(dlo\ving  languagi'.  used  by 
the  conunissioner  in  Pluuier  vs.  Jackson  (10  < '.  L.  O.  71  ).  is 
quoted  with  ai)pro\-al  by  Secrt-tary  Telli'r :  "The  statutes  can- 
not be  construed  to  mean  that  pers(.ns  going  to  the  frontiers 
or  along  the  lines  of  projected  railways,  and  anticipating  ren- 
ters of  population,  shall  not  enjoy  the  lieneiits  of  their  entei'- 
prise  and  foresiglit,  tliougli  they  believe  their  claims  would 
be  (.f  great  value  on  account  <d'  thcii'  proximity  to  cities  or 
villages,  or  that  villai;es  (U-  cities  would  even  be  built  u[h,u 


.  '!''•  jlL  J-  I  :■•  : 
..  •>.?,  '.,;;j  ■';:  •  ,.(j^ 
■)->;U'  •?■■'•>  ':i.i  'J'trh 
.1,1,111  o?  3ii'il')i[(i;o> 
di  u;J''>    r:jil   ■ui'xj 

'  "  i;  -..  -ii-An  ill!';-, 
-|.  •Inn.,    :,: 


■:..„;.       !i,.i> 


116  THE  STOKY   OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

sueli  claims,  and  tlinvliy  ciiahlc  them  ultimately  to  realize 
large  prices  for  such  land.'    :5  L.  I),  pa^e  V-U. 

"The  evideiK-e  shows  that  just  after  the  ai'rival  of  the  tirst 
train  a  large  iiumher  of  jiersons  settled  u[>on  the  northeast 
quarter  of  said  section  four  for  iiui-}Mises  uf  ti-ade  and  busi- 
ness and  have  continui)Usly  so  occupied  the  same  until  the  pres- 
ent time,  and  that  at  this  time  there  a)-e  twelw  hundred  iteople 
occupynig  said  tract  and  have  imi»ro\-ements  of  the  value  of 
$94,413.  It  also  appears  that  (Jeorge  E.  Thornton  was  a 
deputy  United  States  marshal  and  government  freighter,  and 
had  been  stationed  and  living  on  said  land  since  and  prior  to 
the  passage  of  the  act  of  Congress  of  March  2,  1889,  had  made 
iniprovenients  on  said  land  and  claimed  the  same  as  a  home- 
stead immediately  after  noon,  April  22,  1889,  and  is  now 
making  such  claim. 

"Section  thirteen  of  the  act  of  March  2.  1889,  provides: 
'Until  said  lands  are  open  for  settlement,  hy  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  president,  no  jierson  shall  l)e  permitted  to  enter 
upon  and  occupy  the  same,  and  no  person  violating  this 
provision  sliall  hv  permitted  to  enter  any  of  said  lands  or  a(-- 
quire  any  right  thereto."  It  is  insisted  l)y  counsel  for  Thorn- 
ton that  he  is  not  disijualihed  from  taking  a  homestead  hy 
said  act,  because  he  was  in  the  territoi-y  lawfully  and  lived 
here  prior  to  and  at  the  time  of  its  passage. 

"In  the  general  land  office  decision  in  the  case  of  I)lanch- 
ard  vs.  White  and  Cook  the  honoral)le  assistant  eonmiissi(.ner. 
in  discussing  this  statute,  says:  'The  clause  of  the  statute 
under  consideration  has  reference  to  oidy  one  class  of  per- 
sons, viz.  "All  ]>ersons  who.  from  and  alter  the  appro\al  of 
the  act  atori'said  and  prior  to  12  o'clock  noon  of  Ai)ril  22, 
1889,  should  enter  upon  and  occu]»y  any  portion  of  the  terri- 
tory with  the  intent  to  make  selection.' settle  upon  or  enter 
any  of  the  lands  therein.  All  others  are  not  within  the  pro- 
hil)itory  clause."  ' 

"(ieorge  K.  Thornton  was  lawfull}'  within  the  teri'ifory 
and  ])egan  his  residence  upon  the  (juartcr  section  claimed  by 
him  prior  to  the  ])urchase  of  said  lands  ])y  the  government 
from  the  Indians,  and  ])rior  to  the  passa-e  of  the  act  of  Maivh 
2,  1889.  It  is  admitted  hy  the  counsel  for  the  fowiisite  claim- 
ants that  1k'  claimed  the  tract  in  contro\-ei's\-  as  a  homestead. 


If'...,;    .(!f  i. 


,1   K-       .       I''  .■^-  1"  ■'•  "'•I 'ill;. 


i!    tr 


r;-|   ,..;>•• 


//'J'/^^' 


^4^4' 


THE  STORY  OP  OKLAIIOilA  CITY  119 

for  the  first  time,  after  32  (."clock  noon  of  April  22.  ISS!),  ami 
that  in  jjursuance  of  said  claim  he  followed  up  the  initial 
acts  of  his  claim  by  establishinj;-  a  residence,  cultivating,  etc., 
and  has  so  continued  to  do  to  the  present  time,  and  tliat 
said  claim  was  made  prior  to  the  time  that  any  portion  of 
the  same  Avas  claimed  by  any  person  or  persons  as  a  townsite 
by  any  settlement  or  entry  thereon.  In  the  case  of  the  City 
of  Kingfisher  vs.  John  H.  AVood  and  William  D.  Fossett  it 
appeared  from  the  evidence  that  Wood  was  within  the  terri- 
tory included  in  the  president's  proclamation,  dated  March 
23,  1889,  prior  to  12  o'clock  noon  of  April  22,  18S9:  that  lie 
was  at  the  time  of  the  passage  of  the  act  within  the  limits 
of  said  territory  by  proper  authority.  It  was  held  by  the 
local  office  that  in  accordance  with  the  views  expressed  by  the 
honorable  ex-commissioner.  .Mr.  Stockslager.  in  a  letter  to 
Senator  Ingalls,  under  date  of  April  12.  1889.  that  ^Ir.  Wood 
was  on  April  22,  1889.  a  legally  ()ualitied  entryman.  Jn  con- 
sidering this  ease  the  honoi'able  assistant  connnissioiiei'  says: 
'I  agree  with  your  first  conclusion  that  the  fact  that  Jnhn  H. 
AV(jod  has  for  a  numl)er  of  years  prior  to  April  22.  1889, 
been  a  resident  within  the  Oklahoma  country  did  not  o}ierate 
to  preclude  him  from  making  a  homestead  entry  in  ( )klahoma 
on  said  date."  The  same  constrnetion  of  the  law  is  again 
made  by  the  honorable  assistant  commissioner  in  considering 
the  appeal  of  John  C.  Chapin  from  the  rejection  by  the  King- 
fisher office  of  his  application  to  make  a  homestead  entry. 

"Thornton  was  as  lawfully  and  as  properly  Avithin  the 
territory  at  the  time  of  the  passage  of  the  act  of  March  2, 
1889,  as  either  Wood  or  (Jhapin,  and  in  view  of  the  foregoing 
decisions  Thoi-nton  has  lawfully  acquired  a  prior  right  to  all 
other  claimants  to  the  (juarter  section  claimed  1>}'  him. 

"We  therefore  conclude  that  Frank  M.  fiault  initiated  a 
homestead  ri^ht  to  the  northeast  quarter  of  said  section  thirty- 
three  (33)  and  that  (iei.rge  E.  Thornton  initiated  a  Imme- 
.stead  right  to  the  iK.rtheast  quarter  of  said  se<-tion  four 
before  the  same  had  lieeii  settled  upon  or  occu[.ied  for  tlie  pur- 
poses of  Inisiness  and  trade.  That  Edwaixl  DeT'ar.  Sauuiel 
Crocker  and  Mesliack  Couch  are  dis(iualified  from  maldug 
homestead  entr\';  tliat  the  southeast  quarter  of  saiil  section 


il- 


j      '   m; 


<{i 


I    J    1   l;     J..    '      i    •■''     fjl' 


120  THE  STOKY  OF  OIvLAIIO.MA  CITY 

thiity-tlirce  is  oecui)ied  l»y  people  fur  the  purposes  of  trade 
and  business  and  there  are  no  valid  adverse  claims  thereto. 

"AVc  reconiniend  that  each  of  said  homestead  entries  be 
canceled;  that  the  oeeui)ants  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  said 
section  thirty-three  be  allowed  to  enter  the  same  as  a  townsite 
under  the  act  of  May  14,  LSf)(j.  and  that  a  hearin-i'  be  ordered 
to  determine  the  ri.dits  of  the  se\-eral  homestead  claimants  to 
said  other  several  tracts  of  huid. 

'•JoHX  1.  1)1  LI. K.  Keuister, 
"('.  M.  l>Ai;xr.s,  Receiver." 
"Register  Dille: 

"I  concur  in  the  al)ove  conclusions  as  to  the  qualifications 
of  George  E.  Thornton  to  make  homestead  entry  because  it 
seems  to  have  been  so  decided  l)y  the  honorable  assistant  com- 
missioner of  the  general  land  office.  It  is  ))y  no  means  cer- 
tain, however,  that  the  above  language  used  ])y  him  should 
govern  us  in  this  case." 


"■■"!  '"-i 


^d    >     iiftM    JifVJ''    •-..u-  I     ','!»;>:    ';ii    : 

■;■:,■,     ■    ■  -:■     I-  ii    i  ;      ;  luf,;  .liO-^r  if    m  ;/;  ti'  t-h;  kit -I'mmu' 


i    .;/ 


3891— THE    SECOXI)   OPEXIXC 

^lain  Street  ran  tliruugh  a  quiet  six  months,  after  wliirli 
assurances  that  another  big  land  opening  was  apiin»aching 
revived  business  and  also  was  an  incentive  t<  i  building.  Speak- 
ing comparatively,  only  a  little  land  was  put  in  culti\ati(m 
during  the  previous  year  in  the  territory  tributary  to  tiie 
city  and  business  depended  to  a  great  degree  upon  exi»endi- 
tures  of  outside  money,  some  of  which  visitors,  who  were 
always  coming  in  a  steady  stream,  spent  for  the  necessities 
and  for  pleasure.  Establishment  of  a  land  ofhce  here  coji- 
tributed  considei'al)ly  to  the  uptrend  of  Ijusiness. 

The  reservations  of  the  fSac  and  Eox  and  Pottawotanne 
Indians,  whieli  adjoined  the  Territory  on  the  East,  were 
thrown  open  to  settlement,  under  proclamation  of  President 
Harrison,  in  Sei»teml)er.  These  comprised  over  eight  hun- 
dred and  sixty-tive  tliousand  acres  and  nnich  of  the  land  was 
fertile  and  lay  within  what  was  known  as  the  rain  l)clt.  'I'he 
013ening  attracted  tens  of  thousands  of  persons  from  all  }>arts 
of  the  United  States,  and  many  thousands  of  them  detrained 
or  headcpiartered  in  Oklahoma  City,  the  laud  office  hvw  lia\- 
iug  been  authorized  to  receive  api>lications  for  enti'>-  for  a 
part  of  the  new  territory.  During  a  jtei'iod  of  two  oi'  thriH' 
days  before  the  opening  day  ofticials  found  it  difficult  to  main- 
tain order.  Soldiers,  county  officials  and  policemen  joined  in 
the  task.  The  real  test  of  their  ability  came  the  last  da>-  be- 
fore the  opening  and  until  noon  of  the  o]>ening  day.  Appli- 
cants Were  re(iuired  to  take  turns  at  entering  the  land  oflice 
and  impatience  and  i>etty  quarrels  led  to  nuich  disorder  in 
the  line,  (iun  plays  wer(^  freqiieut  and  tist  ti.uhts  common. 
As  a  last  resort  the  enforcement  authoi-ities  went  alon:;-  the 
line,  remo^•ing  arms  froui  those  that  bore  them.  l»y  noon  of 
the  opening  day  the  town  was  nearly  desei-ted,  for  local  men 
as  well  as  \-isitors  hankered  for  the  excitement  and  the  profit 
of  another  great  race   for  liouiesteads  and  town   lots.      The 


-!"  r    '!/<»■  '  ;  '     ■:  M  ■      li'-^r 


122  THK  STORY  OK  OKI.AIIOJIA  CiTV 

largest  .ss..,„l,la,v  „f  la,,,!  scvk.,..  „„  ,|„,  „.,„,,,„  .^j,,     , 

tories  a.<,  „„  cst.Wi,„„e„:':,;':'1,:  J^  ^j  '''o:  the'  rt^; 

3t«tj;me,wti.t,.,a.,:^:^:;^;^ir.;£'i;r;: 

tiou  to  flic  cm  homestead,,  and  these  declarations  l,„d  a  r  -.   t 
of  way.    Agents  holding  soldiers'  declarations,  .son  e  „     he, 

h  pockets  fnll,  caused  tnore  indignation  an,ong   ,     .  ' 
phcants  for  entr.v  than  an.v  other  chac-o-ter  ..(  ,1;,    a  „    it 
was  dne  largelv  to  their  activities  that  seri„n  i.l     la 

if  th::;::;;:;:j"  «'^-"-'  •■■■*■>-  '->-.>- «-  hctole  ;■;;:  ,:•;: 
i5^:™:-^;!;:i-;;;:r::;:-.jr:;s:^ 


gamzationand  which  had  an  im,;;;,  ,'  ^  ,1   '      i  ;" 

ivtfes.    A  rcsolntion  was  adopted  calling  „p„nlPr^  ,,'^  I 
rder  „.,„ova,  o,  ca.tlen.en  f  ron,  the  rherokee  81,^, 

at  tliat  tunc  wa.s  l.euio   ra  ,U.,1  l,v  Iiooinors      Tl,.  ,        w 

™?==:;::;:;;fe-s=r  = 

George  E.  Tlioniton.  tlio  dnmtv  Viufr,]  ^t-.f.  i    i 

Si:^:o^:r;:^:;';;-!.;  1:;;::  ™  }-t^ 
«hot.  Ti,o.„t,a.  with  .a,,  ,;„,.::.:'.::.',.,'.".:''':!"•?'■':•.''''■';''='' 


nun 


^^i<«ii.  liad  lie 


JO.   '1    1.'   J.'/Ul 


.1!'    ..:„  .i,iT 


i..i    }.\    Oil  f:  if 


iii+f 


/^3-  /^^ 


ifii^'  J'hj;  5„> 


-^aij 


?-4jJ*- 


iQ 


^  >r 


V^iia-i:^ 

AMERICAN'  XATIOXAL   BANK   BUILDING 


in    ' 


'    ■        ■,  JA  ^  ^ 


TIOMIC   OF   TIIK    DAILY   OKLAIIOMAX 


^  1.»^ 


n  i\ 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  125 

iiig  tlie  outlaws  oxcv  the  roadless  woodlands  of  the  Creek 
country  for  some  days  and  rode  suddenly  upon  theui  in  a 
rendezvous.  Thornton  had  made  a  connnendable  record  as 
an  officer  in  Indian  Territory,  Texas  and  Xew  ^Lexieo. 

The  capital  tiyht  of  the  previous  year,  in  which  Oklalmuui 
City,  Guthrie  and  Kingfisher  were  entered  and  which  pro- 
duced a  series  of  sensational  ha^jpenings,  was  in  some  measure 
resi)ousible  for  the  resignation  this  year  of  Governor  Steele. 
His  successor  was  Judge  A.  J.  Seay  of  Kingfisher. 

A  memorial  to  Congress  demanding  an  act  creating  a  State 
of  Oklahoma  and  Indian  Territory  was  contained  in  a  reso- 
lution i^assed  by  a  Statehood  convention  held  here  on  De- 
cember 15.  Temp()rary  officers  of  the  convention  were  Ledru 
Guthrie,  chairman,  and  T.  ^I.  Upshaw,  secretary.  Permanent 
officers  were  the  Rev.  J.  11.  Lane  of  Kingtisher.  chairman,  and 

A.  F.  Ferguson  of  El  Reno,  secretary. 

A  message  from  "Washington  this  year  announced  the  in- 
tention of  the  Government  of  liermitting  the  sale  of  the  mili- 
tary reservation  for  townsite  piirposes.  This  reser\'atiiin.  still 
occupied  by  soldiers,  lay  east  of  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  and 
after  the  sale  of  lots  in  a  sul)sequent  year  l^ecame  known  as 
]Mapvood  Addition. 

"In  the  spring  of  1891  the  work  of  constructing  the  line 
from  Fort  Reno  to  Oklahoma  City  was  begun,"  says  Joseph 

B.  Thoburn  in  his  History  of  Oklahoma,  relative  to  the  Choc- 
taw- Railroad  enterprise.  "The  right  of  way  and  leases  of 
the  road  were  m(»rtgaged  for  a])proximately  $10,000  per  mile. 
"When  the  track  had  l)een  laid  from  Reno  to  Yukon,  the  bond- 
holders refused  to  furnish  more  funds.  Messrs.  Kdwin  1). 
Chaddiek  and  E.  (;.  Seal's,  tlie  active  promoters  of  the  (/hoc- 
taw  Coal  &  Railway  Com[)any.  asked  foi'  ap])ointiiicnt  of  re- 
ceivers. The  court  appointed  FraJicis  I.  (idwan  and  Ivlwin 
D.  Chaddiek  as  receivers,  the  fnniu'r  representing  the  bond- 
holders and  the  latter  rt'presenting  the  i)romoters. 

"Finding  that  the  section  of  the  road  exti'uding  from  Fort 
Reno  to  Yukon  could  ])v  ojierated  onl\-  at  a  loss,  the  receiwrs 
applied  to  the  court  to  compel  the  line  from  Oklahoma  < 'ity 
to  Yidvon  to  ])ay  for  the  cost  of  such  constructi<ai  in  riM-ci\-er's 
certificates.  This  course  was  taken  in  oi-dcr  to  ]»rrscrve  the 
proi)erty  and  Avas  classed  l)y  the  court  and  the  recci\-ci's  under 


fl-  ill       U     ,(..■■;    ,    ,.>      .,f  ^      lit  '■      -U\-1\   li;';.i-;'>  r)lil 

■>..  .  <,  ■  '  -1,;'  \.  .      ';  :■::'  •<i.(:-..'  :;->■ 


^i         •..    ./v 


!      ii;t 


->A  II 


126  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

the  yiii.st'  of  necessary  repairs,  thus  .^iviut;'  the  eertiticates  so 
issued  priority  over  the  Phikidelphia  syndicate's  niort.ua.ue. 

"The  line  as  originally  surveyed  in  18SS  intersected  that 
of  the  Atchison,  Toi)eka  tt-  Santa  Fe  Railway  at  the  site  upon 
which  Oklahoma  Cit}-  was  afterwards  huilt.  The  right  of 
way  and  reservation  for  de]M.t  and  side  tracks  was  200  feet 
wide  and  upon  April  22,  1SS9,  the  Ihnits  thereto  were  jilainly 
marked  l)y  tin  signs  which  were  cons}»icuously  posted.  The 
settlers,  however,  paid  no  attention  to  these  signs  or  tlie  right 
of  way  thus  claimed.  "When  the  i-oad  was  built  in  1891  a  com- 
promise between  the  conflicting  claims  of  the  railway  com- 
pany aud  those  who  had  settled  on  the  townsite  was  effected, 
whereliy  the  alley  in  tlie  row  of  blocks  between  First  and  Sec- 
ond streets  was  vacated,  with  forty  feet  off  the  lots  on  either 
side,  at  a  cost  of  ^lG,n(H).  which  sum  was  ]>aid  in  city  scrip, 
to  be  ])ayable  when  validated  liy  an  act  of  ( 'ongi'i'ss.  After- 
ward, the  city  raised  the  rate  charged  for  saloon  license  and 
authorized  the  city  treasurer  to  receive  scrip  in  payment  of 
the  same,  the  ultimate  redeni]>tion  costing  the  city  75  cents  on 
the  dollar. 

"In  1894  Francis  1.  Gowan,  receiver,  was  nuuU'  chairman 
of  the  reorganization  conanittee.  One  of  tlie  tirst  steps  of 
this  reorganization  committee  was  to  secure  the  i)assage  of 
an  act  of  I'ongress  authorizing  the  reorganization  ot  the  com- 
pany. Under  the  tei'uis  of  this  act.  the  incorporators  were 
required  to  tile  a  certificate  witli  the  secretary  of  the  interior, 
specifying  name,  cai)italization.  date  of  organizati(m  and  di- 
rectors. It  was  given  inde]ien(lent  cor]Mii-ate  jiowers  in  per- 
petuity in  addition  to  tliose  heretofoie  hehl  by  the  Olioctaw 
Coal  &  Railway  Company.  After  the  passage  and  tlie  aji- 
p]'(A-al  of  tlds  act  the  property  of  tlie  Choctaw  Coal  lV:  Rail- 
way ('(>mpan\-  was  sold  at  foreclosure  sale  under  final  decrees 
rendered  by  the  I'nited  States  C<.urt  at  South  McAK'ster  and 
the  District  Court  of  Oklalioma  County.  Oklalioma.  and  was 
l)urchased  l)y  tlie  Clioctaw.  Okhilioma  .V:  Culf  Railway." 

The  second  election  ,,f  city  officials  was  liehl  on  April  8. 
AV.  J.  Cault  was  reelected  mayoi'  and  T.  M.  r])shaw.  .-lerk. 
B.  H.  Miller  was  elected  police  jnd-e.  Rob.'itd.  lv\iy.  attnrney: 
Harvey  Rlair.  assessor,  and  .1.  P.  P.oyle,  fivasuivr.  Alder- 
men ele<-ted  were  Charles  A\'.  Meachani,  Xelsou  ISuttoii,  John 


/  •      -l,  '    T  ^   >    ;n    YH,,r>-    >i 


101  '   ■:>.:'  I: 


,1.^1//     .1  -,1; 


.  .,:i  ,I,'-.^^. 


:i;v:'-  •■!    -;,!! 


'3  ■.-.•! 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIOilA  CITY  127 

H.  Roller,  J.  AV.  Ciihhs,  X.  D.  Taylor,  John  P.ro-au  and  X. 
X.  ^lillor,  who  Avas  chosen  president  of  the  euuneil.  11.  S. 
Bntler  and  (\  i).  ^lilliimcr  were  elected  jnstices  of  the  peace, 
and  D.  AV.  Phillips  and  Saninel  Uartcl,  constal)les. 

Anions'  franchises  L!,ranted  during;-  the  year  Avere  one  to  J. 
F.  Thompson  and  L.  AV.  Fonts  to  install  a  gas  syst<'ni  and 
one  to  H.  Wilkerson  to  install  a  telephone  system. 

The  appointed  count}'  otticials  ser\-ed  only  nntil  the  first 
election  held  under  the  new  Territorial  law.  At  that  election 
the  following'  officials  Avere  chosen:  AV.  R.  Taylor,  <-onnty  at- 
torney; I).  A.  8tewa]-t,  i)roI)ate  judge;  Charles  F.  Colcord. 
sherift';  "\V.  J.  Donovan,  treasurer;  Will  L.  Bradford,  clerk: 
J.  A.  J.  Baugus,  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  and 
Harry  Bacon  (elected  chairman),  L.  X'.  Deweese  and  John  L. 
Robertson,  connuissioners.  AViil  II.  ('lark  was  the  first  clerk 
of  the  Federal  District  Coui-t  appointed  in  this  district.  Dr. 
^y.  R.  Thoni}ison  was  the  tirst  county  physician  under  the 
popular  govennnent. 

Dennis  T.  Flynn  was  born  at  Phoeuixville,  Pa.,  in  1S()1. 
He  was  educated  at  Buffalo,  X.  Y.,  where  he  studied  law. 
After  his  admission  to  the  ])ar,  he  settled  at  Riverside.  Iowa, 
where  he  resided  for  a  short  time.  In  1882,  he  again  mi- 
grated, locating  at  Jviowa.  Kan.,  where,  in  addition  to  jirac- 
ticing-  law,  he  established  and  succes-sfully  conducted  the 
Kiowa  Herald  and  also  acted  as  postmaster.  When  Oklahoma 
was  opened  to  settlement,  in  1889,  he  settled  at  Guthrie,  wlu'rc 
he  served  as  the  tirst  postmaster.  In  1890,  he  received  a 
strong  vote  in  the  Re]iublican  Territorial  ("'on\-ention  for  the 
nomination  for  delegate  to  Congress.  In  b'^O'J  he  was  nomi- 
nated and  elected  as  tt'rritorial  deU'gale  to  Congress.  In  lSi)l 
he  was  I'enominated  and  reelecti'd.  In  189()  he  Avas  renomi- 
nated but  was  defeati'd  as  the  result  of  the  union  of  the 
opposition  forces.  Although  his  own  party  was  hopelessly 
in  the  minorit}",  he  ran  far  ahead  of  his  own  ticket,  largclv 
on  the  free  homes  issue.  In  b''^98  and  again  in  1900.  he  was 
renominated  and  reelected  as  delegate  to  Congress.  During 
the  last  mentioned  year,  he  secured  the  passage  of  the  h'i'O 
iKunestead  bill.  In  190l!  .Mr.  Flymi  declined  to  b,'  a  candidate 
for  reelection  as  delegati'  to  Congress.      Since   190:!   he  has 


^'    ;•    .7/      I.   .r'V.     ->>      I! 
|i,   /    M    '\  l> <    MffH 

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12H  THE  SToliV  OF  OKLAHOMA  (  ITY 

litvn  cn-a.-cd  in  the  i-racticc  of  law  in  Oklalioma  City.— Tliu- 
buni. 

Wlifii  M\  D.  (iault  IxM-amc  nuivin-  l.y  iv-ular  cli^ctiun  C. 
F.  Culeurd  cuntiuued  in  .service  as  chief  (.f  police  until  the 
autumn  of  1891.  Avhen  he  was  elected  the  first  sheriff  of  tlie 
newly  organized  Oklahoma  County,  an  office  of  which  he  con- 
tinued the  fearless  and  efficient  incumbent  for  the  ensuing 
two  years.  Concerning  local  conditions  and  his  administra- 
tion the  following  interesting  statements  have  ])een  made: 
"The  two  years  during  which  :\rr.  Coleord  served  as  sheiiff  of 
Oklahoma  county  are  notalile  in  the  records  of  the  countv 
and  the  territory,  i\,r  at  that  time  the  fm'ces  of  law  and  order 
found  themselves  confronted  with  the  most  formidable  of  ob- 
stacles in  their  endeavors  to  restrain  and  drive  off  the  (Njiorts 
of  vice  that  beset  the  new  Tenitory  and  constituted  a  con- 
stant menace  to  the  law-al»iding  citizens  who  had  come  to  the 
new  country  in  such  large  uuml)ei-s.  It  is  certain  that  never 
since  has  there  been  in  Oklahoma  a  condition  of  affairs  de- 
manding such  vigorous  and  courageous  work  on  tlie  part  of 
official  enfj-usted  with  the  maintenance  of  law  and  order,  and 
it  is  altogether  pj-obable  that  at  no  pre\-ious  period  had  so 
great  a  task  been  imi.osed.  In  l)ringing  to  an  end  the  reign 
of  outlawry  in  Oklahoma,  one  of  tlie  ci'iminal  officers  who  de- 
serves unqualified  credit  and  honor  tor  tliorough  etficieucv 
and  straightforward  servici.,  untainted  by  coi'ruption  i'>v 
deviation  from  the  strictest  ideals  of  <luty,  is  Cliailcs  F.  Col- 
cord,  whose  record  as  a  puldic  ohicial  may  i)erluips  be  for- 
gotten in  the  light  of  his  latter-day  activities,  which  have  l)ecn 
of  great  magnitude  and  imiMu-tan<-e.  After  his  retirement 
from  the  position  of  shei'ilf  .Mr.  Coleord  held  for  five  vears 
the  United  States  prison  contract  at  Cuthi-ie,  the  territorial 
capital." 

At  the  opening  of  the  Cherokee  Strip,  in  189:],  :\rr.  Colc.,rd 
secured  large  land  holdings  in  the  district  aJid  entered  Imsi- 
ness-at  Perry.  In  1898  he  returne.l  to  Oklahoma  City,  whic-h 
has  since  cimtinued  to  be  his  place  of  residence. 

The  first  grand  jury  that  sat  in  the  I'nited  States  side  of 
the  Territorial  Coui-t  in  January,  1891,  bi-ou-ht  in  seventy- 
five  indictments  for  perjury.  The  foreman  of  the  gi-and  jury 
was  a  "sooner,"  but  belonged  to  the  class  that  believed  that 


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.'I    J-.i'         II  .   M'l':'  »'!,(.       f'ii/M  >  j)'>\ili;i;^i(.    ,i,/-Jft 

-    'f         -i.  .Ml    til-.,  u':  I  In;  ;    ..-.'(."'//;    Oil:   i".;nL!l 

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THE  STURV  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  129 

he  was  violating-  iiu  law  as  linig  as  he  did  not  t;ii  upon  the 
tract  of  laud  he  sought,  before  the  hour  of  opeuiug.  and 
spurned  the  thought  of  conunitting  the  crime  of  perjury.  II  is 
name  was  John  A.  Blackburn. 

These  indietnients  were  followed  rapidly  by  other  indict- 
ments and  the  most  vigorous  ^jrosecutioiis  ever  known  in  a 
western  court.  After  being  indicted,  the  accused  ])ersons 
defied  prosecution,  and  boldly  told  the  ofKcers  that  they  could 
never  get  convictions,  no  matter  what  the  Government  proV(.-d. 
Threats  of  assassination  were  frequent  and  ofttimes  above 
board,  but  those  charged  with  the  duty  of  breaking  up  the 
hotbed  of  perjury  relentlessly  pursued  the  prosecutions. 

John  G.  Clark,  formerly  of  Lancaster,  AVis..  was  the  i)re- 
siding  judge,  with  Will  H.  Clark  as  clerk  of  court,  while  Hon. 
Horace  Sjjeed,  of  Guthrie,  United  KStates  attorney  for  Okla- 
homa, and  W.  F.  Harn,  special  agent,  of  Oklahoma  City, 
acted  for  the  United  States  Government.  Assistant  United 
States  Attorney  John  F.  Stone  and  Special  Agent  John  ^X. 
•Scothorn  rendered  material  assistance,  although  the  Avork  of 
the  two  latter  was  confined  mostly  to  prosecutions  in  the 
vicinity  of  (iuthrie,  where  similai-  "sooner"  and  perjury  com- 
binations, l)ut  on  a  nuich  smaller  scale,  had  been  formed  and 
maintained. 

The  first  few  trials  consumed  as  nuich  as  four  weeks  each. 
day  and  night,  and  were  fought  desperately  by  the  several 
defendants  and  their  attorneys.  A  conspiracy  was  uneai'thed, 
in  which  it  was  ])lanned  to  dynamite  the  courthouse  for  the 
purpose  of  killing  Judge  Clark,  United  States  Att<u-ney  S]»eed 
and  S])ecial  Agent  Harn,  but  the  plans  of  the  assassins  Avere 
thwarted  by  the  early  discovery  of  the  details  through  a  c-on- 
fession  of  one  of  the  accused,  who  subsetiueutly  served  time 
in  prison  for  uuirder.  A  boml)  was  thrown  under  the  house 
of  Special  Agt'ut  Harn.  but  the  fus(^  was  ])ut  out  by  the 
bomb  striking  some  bushes.  At  another  time  Deputy  Unite<l 
States  ^Marshal  Frank  Cochran  stayed  the  hand  of  a  de- 
fendant perjurer's  son-in-law.  as  the  latter  was  ab(»ut  to 
l>lung<'  a  dirk  into  the  back  of  Special  Agent  Harn,  as  the 
latter  was  lea\"ing  the  court  ri>om.  Other  instances  of  this 
kind,  ne^•er  i>u1)licly  made  known,  were  nuuH'rous  and  fre- 
quent. :       ■      ,  )■;!  ■■:■■•       '  ,   ,1   -i' 


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130  THE  8T()RY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

These  acts  of  intiiuidatioii,  however,  failed  to  stop  the 
mouotoiious  and  incessant  grind  of  the  conrt.  Conviction  fol- 
lo^A•ed  conviction  as  rapidly  as  the  cases  were  submitted  to 
the  juries,  ^lany  defendants  left  the  country  as  soon  as  they 
heard  that  their  cases  were  under  investiuatioii  by  a  grand 
jury,  which  tlie\-  could  pretty  well  tigure  (>ut  l\v  the  names 
of  the  witnesses  before  that  body,  while  many  of  those  in- 
dicted jumped  their  bonds,  and  never  again  appeared  in  the 
territory.  The  officers  were  deluged  with  offers  from  defend- 
ants to  turn  state's  evidence,  and  many  detailed  confessions 
were  had  that  were  never  used.  Although  the  guilt  of  the  de- 
fendants was  established  by  untainted  testimony,  in  all  cases, 
yet  usually  the  prosecution  was  al)le  and  did  use  the  evidence 
of  several  accomplices  for  the  main  })ui'pose  of  showing  the 
secret  methods  of  the  organizations. 

After  the  backlxme  of  perjury  had  been  broken,  it  was 
no  inmsual  sight  for  defendants  to  appear  in  c<iurt  and  enter 
pleas  of  guilty  with  a  request  for  immediate  sentence.  On 
one  morning,  in  single  file,  no  less  than  eleven  defendants 
appeared  ])efore  Judge  Clark  and  asked  that  they  be  per- 
mitted to  change  their  former  pleas  of  not  guilty  to  })leas  of 
guilty  as  charged  in  the  indictments. 

There  was  little  else  than  perjury  tried  at  Oklahoma  City 
in  the  year  1891,  yet  the  docket  was  far  from  cleared  of  cases 
charging  that  crime  as  the  end  of  the  last  term  of  court  drew 
near.  The  Bohemians  were  notified  that  in  a  few  da_\s  tlieir 
indictments  at  Guthrie  would  be  tried.  l->ut  a  trial  was  not 
what  they  were  looking  for.  and  some  sixteen  or  more  hurried 
to  AVichifa.  where  they  wei-e  under  bond  and  ask(Ml  the  United 
States  marshal  to  loclv  them  uji.  in  oi'dei'  that  their  bondsmen 
might  ])('  exonerated.  This  was  done,  and  wheji  it  was  dis- 
covered that  their  voluntary  return  to  pi'ison  was  nu'rely  a 
ruse  to  get  the  (h'fendants  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Outhrie  court,  the  Tvansas  officers  volunteer(Nl  to  return  the 
accused  to  C.uthrie  for  trial.  Inasmuch  as  the  defendants 
and  their  attorneys  seemed  to  i)refer  the  Kansas  jurisdiction. 
all  of  the  cases  were  set  down  for  inune<liate  trial  in  tliat 
court  l)efore  T^nite.l  States  Judge  AVilliams. 

A  de-;]ier;ite  effort  was  made  bv  the  di^feudants'  attornevs 
to  avoid  fi'ial.     ^Messrs.  S]te('d  and  TTarn  were  charged  with 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  131 

having  Oklahoma  ten'oi-ized  by  their  prosecutions,  and  it  was 
claimed  tliat  the  defendants  could  not  yet  a  fair  trial,  because 
of  the  fear  of  their  witnesses  to  testify.  After  being  forced 
into  trial,  howe\er,  the  same  old  gang  of  witnesses  was  on 
hand  for  the  defense  with  the  same  old  brazen  stories.  The 
prosecution  exanuned  nearly  one  hundred  witnesses  on  be- 
half of  the  (lovernnient,  hanuuering  to  i)ieces  every  material 
statement  made  by  a  perjury  witness.  A  jury  returned  ver- 
dicts of  guilty  against  tifteen  defendants  in  three  days.  Since 
the  convicting  jury  came  from  every  part  of  the  State  of 
Kansas  and  had  little  or  no  acquaintance  with  conditions  in 
Oklahoma,  the  verdiets  were  a  ctmiplete  vindication  of  the 
Oklahoma  officers.  AN'hen  i^rominent  defendants  went  upon 
the  stand  and  made  a  full  confessicjn  of  perjury  and  suborna- 
tion, the  hitherto  almost  impregnable  defense  wasted  away 
like  a  mist  before  the  rising  sun.  One  defendant  escaped. 
His  indictment  was  dismissed  on  the  motion  of  the  United 
States  attorney  for  a  defect  in  the  copying. 

Joseph  A^\  Ady,  United  States  attorney  of  Kansas;  Hon. 
Pliny  Soper,  assistant  United  States  attorney,  and  "W.  F. 
Harn  prosecuted,  while  Stanley,  of  Wichita,  later  governor 
of  the  state,  defended.  Judge  A\'illiams  was  so  greatly  im- 
pressed with  the  (•om])leteness  of  the  Government's  prosecu- 
tion to  the  minutest  detail,  that  he  voluntarily  remarked 
that  it  was  the  most  remarkaljle  series  of  prosecutions  that 
ever  came  to  his  attention  on  account  of  the  preparedness 
of  the  prosecution  to  meet  every  ^xiint  in  law  or  evidence  that 
might  jiossilily  have  lieen  raised  by  the  defense. 

These  tifteen  defendants  were  sentenced  to  the  peniten- 
tiary for  terms  (d'  from  a  year  and  a  day  to  finu-  years  at 
Leavenworth. 

There  were  other  trials  of  perjury  cases,  but  the  crime 
had  been  stamped  <iut,  and  the  later  prosecutions  were  of  a 
desultory  character.  Xiunerous  cases.  als<\  were  tried  that 
involved  i)erjury  on  matters  other  than  the  "sooner"  (pies- 
tion,  ])ut  they  were  few  when  (•om}>ared  to  the  whole  numl)er 
tried. 


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no  '    ■ ','   ?.■,>(;-<    ■:i;7A  In  ^ 

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,).■■■    "Vi  ;Jin.!-;     f.'P 


1892— BOO.AiERS  ACTIVE  AGAIN 

The  city  again  tliis  }-ear  avus  a  luecea  for  boomers.  Tlie 
Cheyeuue  and  Arapahoe  ludiaii  reservations  were  opened  to 
settlement  on  April  19,  and  because  of  the  fact  tliat  the 
Department  of  the  Interior  had  designated  tlie  Oklalumia 
City  land  office  as  one  of  the  offices  of  entry,  thousands  of 
liomeseekers  and  speculators  assemljled  here  pri<;ir  to  the  oi)eu- 
ing.-  They  began  coming  early  in  the  year  and  their  numl)ers 
increased  witli  the  passing  of  the  weeks.  Disorders  were  so 
frequent  and  law  violations  so  flagrant  along  the  eastern  bor- 
der of  the  reservation  that  Governor  Seay  was  compelled  to 
call  for  military  assistance  in  preserving  order.  In  Okla- 
homa City  disorders  were  no  less  frequent.  These  were  caused 
in  many  instances  hy  the  ti'afiic  in  soldiers'  declaratories. 
Such  traffic  had  its  inception  the  previous  year  and  had  been 
developed  profitably  by  scores  of  men.  Some  small  riots  took 
place  here.  In  none  of  them  was  serious  personal  injury  done, 
and  the  town-builders  had  their  rirst  organized  exi)erience 
in  denying  exaggerated  rei>orts.  Conunissioner  of  Indian 
Affairs  Carter  allayed  feeling  against  the  traffickers  to  an 
extent  and  virtually  put  an  end  to  their  activities  liy  issuing 
an  order  prolii!)iting  an  agent  from  rei)resenting  more  than 
two  soldiers.  The  order  was  issued  aftci'  tlie  Conunissioner 
had  received  resolutions  of  protest  from  organizations  at  Ok- 
lahoma City  and  Kingtishcr.  Tin-  o])cning  of  the  Cheyenne 
and  Ara])alioe  reservations  further  increased  tlie  jiopiilation 
of  the  city  and  was  the  last  official  act  necessary  to  guaran- 
tee construction  of  the  Choctaw  Raili-oad  across  the  Territory 
from  East  to  West.  A  liranch  of  the  Choctaw  had  been  <-om- 
pleted  from  Oklahoma  City  to  El  Tveno.  and  over  this  were 
transported  thousands  wlio  came  into  the  city  over  tlii^  Santa 
Fe.  A  newspaper  account  of  tln^  i)reopening  activities  said 
that  .special  trains  Ix.re  i'iOO  tille.l  coach. 's  into  the  city  in 
one  day. 

133 


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/.'    .-.''r 

134  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

The  early  part  of  the  year  way  uutable  for  the  activities 
of  the  boomers.  Not  only  had  they  o^■erruu  the  Cheyenne  and 
Arajnihoe  reservations  but  they  continued  more  or  less  law- 
less activities  in  what  was  known  as  the  Cherokee  Strip,  the 
demand  for  the  opening  of  which  was  even  stronger  than  that 
for  the  oijeniug-  of  the  other  reservation.  The  boomer  move- 
ments had  their  origin  principally  in  adjoining  states  and  in 
other  i^arts  of  the  Territory  but  Oklahoma  City  was  the  head- 
quarters of  a  few.  Indirectly  the  ))0(.)mer  movement  in  its 
bulk  contributed  to  the  growth  of  jjusiuess  here. 

On  January  25  of  this  year  Delegate  David  A.  Harvey  in- 
troduced a  bill  in  Congress  providing  for  the  creation  of  a 
State  out  of  the  two  Territories.  The  Connnittee  on  Terri- 
tories on  February  11  began  a  series  of  hearings  on  the  I)ill 
and  the  chief  advocates  of  it  were  Sidney  Clarke  of  Oklahoma 
City  and  AY.  P.  Hackney  and  Horace  Speed  of  Guthrie,  all 
representing  the  single  statehood  exer-utive  committee.  Other 
members  of  the  connnittee  were:  Sanuiel  H.  Harris  of  Cleve- 
land County,  "William  J.  Grant  of  Canadian  Comity,  J.  P. 
Cunmiins  of  Kingfisher  County,  Frank  J.  AVikoff  of  Paine 
County,  George  F.  Payne  of  Beaver  County.  "William  A. 
Allison  of  "A"  County,  J.  H.  Woods  of  "B"  County,  and 
H.  C.  Potterf  of  Chickasaw  County. 

Dennis  T.  Flyun,  who  had  been  postmaster  at  Guthrie,  this 
year  defeated  Afr.  Harvey  for  the  republican  nomination  for 
Delegate  to  Congress  and  in  the  Xovember  election  defeated 
O.  H.  Travers  of  Oklahoma  City,  the  democratic  nominee. 

Canadian  l?iver  Hoods  in  tlie  early  summer  of  this  year 
inflicted  much  damage  to  ])ro])erty  in  what  had  l)een  South 
Oklalioma.  This  was  tlie  first  cxpcricnci'  the  settlers  had  had 
with  high  waters  of  tlic  river  and  they  initiated  j>lans  for 
straightening  the  chainicL  These  jilans  developed  more  or 
less  half-lieartedly  and  UKire  or  less  hiusely  during  the  next 
few  years  and  cuhninated  i]i  the  digging  of  a  canal  for  a  river 
cut-off.  The  canal  i)n.ject  ended  in  faihuv  but  to  this  day 
sections  of  a  red-clay  sear  are  visible  on  undeveloped  parcels 
of  town  lots. 

A  census  of  the  Territni-y  taken  under  direction  of  the 
Interior  Department  tliis  year  sliowed  it  to  ha\-e  a  pnjiuhition 
of  133,000.     Oklahoma  County's  i)opidation  was  21,(X)0  and 


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W.  .1.  CAL'LT 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  137 

the  town  b(X)stci-s  claiincd  that  8,000  of  these  lived  in  Okhi- 
honia  City.  A  tiaveling  eorix'spondent  of  a  Texas  uewspaix'r 
called  it  8,000  and  complimented  the  city  of  haviny  "a  brick 
jail,  a  grist  mill,  an  ice  factory  and  several  clnirches." 

County  officials  elected  this  year  were  S.  A.  Stewart, 
judge;  Will  L.  Bradford,  clerk;" J.  H.  Woods,  attorney;  J. 
O.  AVilliams,  register  of  deeds ;  J.  M.  Brogan,  assessor ;  J.  M. 
Fightmaster,  sheritt';  R.  B.  Potts,  surveyor,  and  H.  A.  Bo- 
linger,  superintendent  of  pul^lic  instruction. 

O.  A.  Mitscher  defeated  L.  F.  Kramer  for  mayor  in  the 
spring  election.  J.  T.  Martin  was  reelected  clerk  and  J.  B. 
Boyle,  treasurer.  11.  G.  Hays  defeated  R.  J.  Edwards  f(>r 
attorney  and  (I.  "W.  McClelland  defeated  Bent  Miller  for  po- 
lice judge.  C.  A.  Compton  was  elected  assessor  and  J.  H.  ■'' 
Wheeler,  treasurer  of  the  board  of  education.  ^Members  of 
the  city  council  elected  were  Dr.  C.  E.  Dunn,  L.  Mendlick,  C. 
G.  Jones  and  George  Ross.  New  justices  of  the  peace  were 
J.  W.  Davis  and  G.  W.  Stephenson. 

The  council  granted  a  gas  franchise  to  T.  A.  Bailey  and 
received  an  application  for  a  street  i-ailway  franchise  from 
Augustus  X.  Spencer.  It  accepted  a  water  system  installed 
by  D.  H.  Scott  &  Company.  It  adopted  a  resolution  that 
asked  President  Cleveland  to  proclaim  the  military  reser- 
vation suljject  to  sale  for  townsite  purposes.  A  bill  containing 
such  a  provision  had  failed  of  passage  in  Congress  and  the  ' 
council  was  advised  hy  lawyei's  that  the  President  had  an-  '  . 
thority  to  act  without  an  act  of  Congress.  The  resolution 
recited  that  the  city  was  becoming  congested,  that  it  was  in 
need  of  more  territory,  and  that  limitation  on  tracts  forltade  \ 

s]>reading  in  all  other  directions.  .         | 

William    II.    Ilbey,   wlio   liad  l)een   the   tirst   secretary  of  ! 

the  Oklahoma  (?ity  Conuni'rcial  Clul)  and  a  few  years  later  : 

of  the  Chamber  of  ('omnierce.  this  year  was  appointed  b\-  ; 

President  Cleveland  clerk  of  the  United  States  Court  of  the 
Third  Judicial  District  of  Oklahoma  Territory,  with  head- 
quartci's  at  Olvlahoma  City.  Prior  to  coming  to  Ol'Clahnnia 
'Sir.  El)ey  had  been  for  a  time  engaged  in  the  ncws])ai)er  busi- 
ness, and  he  was  one  of  the  early  reiirescntativcs  of  the  Asso- 
ciated Press  in  Oklahoma,  bcin--  succeeded  in  tliis  ]Hisiti<.n  by 
Frank   ]Mc]\Iaster,   a-])ioneei-  newspajier   man  of  Oklahoma 


i-  1   )    ,■  ■'•.iii,.,i/!.0  ■•ic  ;  :H  'T'.     Ill  I' 

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>    :■'      :     :.  i    ...     "i'.    \^^).'■^'i-^i   ■</■■.[{  .'      ."      .■■■>■! f/>K')i:r     ■  ,i^h\ 

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138  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIiaMA  CITY 

City.  After  iiiaintaininy  his  resitU'iicc  in  Oklalumui  City  fur 
a  period  of  seven  years  Mr.  El)ey  ]iassed  a  few  years  at  Ter- 
rell, Texas.  He  then  returned  to  Oklahoma  and  establislied 
his  residenee  at  i.awton,  tlie  i>iesent  judieial  center  of  Co- 
manche County,  hcin-  virtually  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
town,  shortly  after  the  opruiu-  to  settlement  of  the  Kiowa 
and  Comanche  Indian  country.  He  afterward  spent  a  year 
in  California  and  upon  his  return  to  Oklahoma  he  established 
his  ]jermanent  home  at  Ada. 

He  was  once  owner  of  the  Oklahomau,  which  is  now  the 
leading  daily  news])aper  t>f  that  state.  Jt  was  not  a  iniyiny 
proposition  and  the  business  was  not  to  his  liking,  and  he 
finally  traded  the  plant  an<l  l)usiness  to  R.  Q.  JJlakeney  foi' 
a  town  lot  and  other  cnnsideration.  His  interest  in  political 
affairs  made  :\Ir.  Kbcy  one  of  the  democratic  leaders  during 
the  entire  period  of  his  re-^ideuce  in  Oklahoma  City.  He  was 
a  delegate  to  many  count}-  and  state  conventions  and  fre- 
quently was  chairman  or  secretary  of  the  same.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  notalde  state  convention,  at  Enid,  that  nomi- 
nated William  Cross  for  Congress.  In  this  convention 
Thomas  P.  Core,  of  T.awton.  iiow  Tnited  States  scnatoi-,  was 
a  conspicuous  hgiu-e.  and  his  name  was  once  placed  Ix'fore 
the  convention  as  that  of  a  candidate  for  Congress.  Later  it 
was  withdrawn  and  Mr.  Ebcy  changed  the  vote  (.f  the  Co- 
manche County  delegation  from  (bire  to  Cross.  This  change 
marked  the  l)eginuing  of  a  new  wave  of  sentiment  in  the 
convention  and  restdted  in  the  nomination  of  Cross. 


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1893— DREA.M   OF   A   CO.ALMOX WEALTH 

Oklahoma  ("ity  lU'vcr  settled  into  the  uiipretentinii.s  rou- 
tine of  a  ^laiii  Street  tnwii.  hut  that  h'vel  of  a  million  of  her 
peers  might  have  heeii  approximated  this  year  had  not  her 
far-seeing  captains  of  industry  found  polities,  iuunigratiou 
and  Statehood  topics  to  engage  them.  But  for  these  ^laiu 
Street  wonld  have  been  prosaic  indeed,  for  it  was  the  year 
of  the  panic.  Trade  was  slack  and  there  were  some  Imsiness 
failures.  There  were  long  dull  days  of  sunnner  when  ham- 
mers were  hushed  and  Oulf  winds  spread  clouds  of  dust  over 
the  scenery  and  ahjng  the  beaten  and  l)are  thoi'oughfares,  and 
dust  was  an  unbidden  and  unwelcome  visitor  in  the  liome  of 
every  woman.  There  were  temjiestuous  gray  days  of  spring, 
days  of  heavy  precipitation,  soil  soakers,  and  capitalists  and 
laborers  alike  sank  their  hoots  into  tlie  gunnny  slush  of  Main 
Street  and  transported  imuunei'ahle  portions  of  it  to  their 
divers  destinations.  In  spite  of  this,  homesteaders  pursued 
the  business  of  house  l)uilding  and  crop  making,  whieh  re- 
quired nmch  teaming  of  materials  and  provisions,  and  their 
thoughts  toncliing  highwa>s  were  of  bridges  and  the  slanting 
of  precipitous  lianks  of  ei'eeks  and  ravines.  The  art  of  sci- 
entitic  road  l)uilding  had  not  lieeii  introdueed:  the  motor  age 
was  a  decade  away.  Tlie  tlowei'ed  prairies  were  gorgeous  and 
gj'owing  crops  were  c(Mn-i)icing  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and 
homeseekers  came,  saw  and  were  con(|nered  in  spite  of  the 
panic.  The  inhabitants  huasted  to  them  of  the  completion  of 
a  water  system,  the  city's  very  first  and  undoulifedly  its  most 
truly  ajipreciated. 

it  was  the  A'ear  of  the  World's  Fair  in  C'hicag..  and  Okla- 
homa City  put  its  liundle  of  products  into  liaskets  and  sliipi>ed 
them  away  to  the  Oklahoma  building  at  the  exitosition.  Tlie 
Territory  is  said  to  have  made  a  creditable  display.  Amonu' 
those  who  took  a  cons])icuous  jiart  in  tlu^  cit.x's  showing  of 
exhibits  were  Di-.  A.  ('.  Scott  aud  :\Ii-s.  Oilbert. 
141 


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142  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

DeiiKK-rats  raiiic  into  roiitiol  of  the  Territi trial  (iovern- 
incut  this  year  by  virtue  of  tlie  election  ot'  (irover  <_'leveland 
as  President,  and  Oklahoma  <  "ity,  which  had  a  majority  of 
votes  inclined  to  the  democratic  part.w  found  itself  more  fav- 
ored by  the  new  administration  than  towirs  (d'  a  republican 
bent.  Leslie  P.  Ross,  one  <d'  the  tirst  oHicials  and  most  intlu- 
ential  residents  of  South  Oklahoma  </ity,  was  credited  with 
having  UKU'e  influence  in  AVashington  than  any  other  man  in 
the  Territory.  Tlie  "sawbuck  leadei'"  he  was  called  by  the 
republicans  of.  Ciuthrie.  A  coworker  in  the  jiarty  with  Koss 
was  Edward  L.  Dunn,  then  secretary  of  the  Democratic  cen- 
tral committee  of  the  Territor}'.  and  these  two  jiarty  stal- 
warts exercised  a  great  inthience  in  the  distribution  of  jtarty 
patronage.  William  0.  Penfrow  was  a] 'pointed  governor  and 
C.  A.  CJalbraitli.  a  young  lawyer  of  Oklahoma  Cit>-,  attorney 
genei'al,  and  later  in  the  year  Poss  was  appointed  receiver  of 
the  land  office  at  Oklahoma  (Jity.  It  is  sai<l  that  he  could  have 
been  governor  had  he  expressed  a  dt'sire  for  it.  B.  ]\I.  Dilley 
was  named  register  of  the  hind  office,  and  E.  (}.  Si)ilman.  who 
hitei-  became  a  resident  of  the  city,  was  named  register  of 
the  land  office  at  Kingfisher.  Frank  Dale  of  Gnthrie  was  a]»- 
pointed  chief  justice  ot  the  Territorial  Supreme  Court  and 
Henry  AV.  Scott,  a  young  Oklahoma  City  barrister,  wdiom 
some  i)oliticians  called  the  "kid  of  the  Canadian,"  was  ap- 
pointed associate  justice.  P(  iss  succeeded  ("apt.  J.  C.  Delaney. 
who  was  aceoTUited  a  useful  citizen  of  the  early  years,  and 
wlio  returned  immediately  to  his  former  home  in  T'ennsyl- 
vania.  Unitctl  States  .Marshal  Xix  (d'  Kingfisher  }iamed  as 
his  deputies  in  Oldahoma  City.  .1.  AV.  dones.  Jolm  Quinby, 
Charles  F.  Clcord,  Sanuiel  Dartel  and  John  lTul)atka.  The 
Department  of  dustice  delayed  for  several  months  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  Vnite(l  States  attorney  and  in  that  time  J.  W. 
Johnson  (d'  Oklahoma  City  and  Matthew  J.  Kane  id'  King- 
fisher, who  many  years  later  was  a  justice  of  the  State  Sn- 
prenie  Couid  and  a  resideiu  of  the  city,  a[iplicaids  for  the 
phice,  waged  a  battle  of  wits  in  Washington. 

Pivalry  befw.'cn  Oklahoma  City  and  Cuthrie.  w1dch  liad 
l)een  largely  commei'cial.  took-  a  decided  ]>Mliticnl  tui-n  this 
year,  and  Franic  II.  Crc.i'.  editor  of  the  State  Cai-ital  at 
Outhi-ie.    deliuhted     in    admiiu^ferinii'    \-arions    shades    ami 


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li  '  MMlH.i  i-iM  (:i:)r.  ,'  ,i,-  '.(13  ■/«!  fo'lo 
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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  143 

degrees  of  .seriou.s  and  facetious  political  cliastisemeiit.  Denio- 
cl'atic  leadership,  of  ctmrse,  was  divided.  Captains  of  democ- 
racy lived  in  Guthrie  and  El  Reno  and  Kingtisher,  and  in 
Perry  and  Enid  after  the  opening  of  the  Cherokee  Strip, 
whicli  tdok  place  in  Sei)tcniber  of  this  year.  Well  founded 
rumors  were  narrated  tt)  the  effect  that  the  land  office  might 
be  moved  from  Oklahoma  City  to  El  Reno.  It  was  the  most 
disquieting  piece  of  jxditical  news  of  the  year.  Guthrie  demo- 
crats were  accused  of  l)eing  in  league  with  El  Reno  democrats 
to  Ijring  about  the  removal,  a  punishment  in  part,  the  tale- 
bearers said,  of  Oklahoma  City's  reputed  efforts  in  earlier 
years  to  rob  Guthrie  of  land  office  honors  by  having  the  office 
established  at  some  place  farther  removed  from  Oklahoma 
City.  The  scheme  was  visionary;  indeed,  it  may  never  have 
been  whipped  into  concrete  form;  but  it  furnished  ammu- 
nition for  caucus  and  stump  I'iiie  in'artice  where^'er  a  vestige 
of  it  jn-otrudcd  into  daylight. 

"With  the  democrats  in  control  of  the  long-range  Wash- 
inglon  Government,  the  demand  f(jr  Statehood,  which  had 
been  increasing  fo)-  a  couple  of  years,  was  not  lessened.  A 
Statehood  convention  was  held  in  El  Reno  on  August  8, 
attended  by  about  one  hundred  delegates,  and  Sidney  Clarke 
was  elected  permanent  chairman  of  the  executive  committee. 
He  appointed  a  conunittee  consisting  of  Frank  McMaster  of 
Oklahoma  City  (who  that  year  founded  the  Oklahoma  Mag- 
azine), Fraiilv  H.  (ireer  of  Guthrie,  L.  X.  Horulx'ck  of  ^linco, 
J.  W.  Admire  of  KingHsher  and  R.  AA'.  McAdams  of  Ardmore 
to  collect  statistics  relating  to  ])opulation,  industries,  etc,  of 
Oklahoma  Territory  and  Indian  Territory  and  prepare  a  me- 
morial to  (.'ongress  asking  for  the  ei'eation  of  a  single  .State. 
The  executive  conunittee  was  called  to  meet  in  Oklahoma  City 
on  August  26  to  receive  a  report  of  the  special  committee.  On 
the  latter  date  a  call  was  issued  for  another  convention,  to 
be  held  in  Purcell  on  Septeml)er  30,  and  to  consist  of  dele- 
gates from  both  Territories.  The  Oklahoma  County  delegates 
to  this  convention  were  Frank  McMaster.  J.  H.  AVoods,  C.  G. 
Jones,  AV.  J.  Donovan,  John  II.  F.eatty,  O.  H.  Violet,  1).  C. 
Lewis,  Charles  Reddick.  J.  S.  r.indsay,  P.  F.  AVilliams,  Sam- 
uel ('rocker,  J.  M.  Fightmast<'r.  J.  W.  Johnson,  Leslie  P. 


>l<,:  '41'  VhoTH  ;>!ri' 


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14i  THE  STUKV   OF  OKLAHOMA  OITV 

Ross,  J.  W.  McCartney,  ])r.  A.  G.  Guim,  .ALaj.  I).  1).  Leach 
and  J.  J.  Biuke. 

Frank  ]\Ic^Iaster  was  named  ehaivnuin  of  the  resohitions 
committee  of  the  Purcell  convcntinn  and  Samuel  ('rocker 
chairman  nf  the  organization  cnmmittee.  It  had  a  gratifying 
attendance  of  enthusiastic  men  and  tlie  resolutions  adoi)ted 
apprised  members  of  Congress  <d'  tlie  serious  intentions  of 
these  jjioneers  and  their  brethren  of  tlie  lands  of  the  Five 
Tribes.  James  E.  IIumi)hreys  of  Purcell  was  president  of 
the  convention,  AV.  A.  Ledlietter  of  Ardmore  was  vice  ])resi- 
dent,  M.  L.  Bixler  of  Oklahoma  City,  secretary,  and  L.  X. 
Hornbeck  of  ]\Iinco,  assistant  secretary.  The  resolutions  fav- 
ored what  was  known  as  the  Carey  bill  tlu-n  pending  in  Con- 
gress, providing  for  the  creation  of  one  State,  and  they 
approved  of  the  effoi'ts  of  Delegate  Dennis  Flynn  to  secure 
the  making  of  treaties  with  Indian  tribes  of  Oklahoma  Terri- 
tory as  a  ])reliminary  step  toward  the  ojiening  to  settlement 
of  other  reservations.  Before  adjournment  the  executive 
committee,  which  was  determined  to  hammer  the  iron  wliilc 
it  was  h(»t,  fixed  a  meeting  date  f<n'  October  10,  in  Okla- 
homa City,  and  called  ujtou  the  Five  Civilized  Tril)es  of  In- 
dian Territory  to  send  representatives  to  sit  in  this  meeting. 

The  October  10  meeting  was  held  in  the  Grand  Avenue 
Hotel  and  it  was  presided  over  l)y  Sidney  Clarke.  Mr.  Hum- 
phreys represented  the  Five  Tribes  as  a  .secretary  and  Henry 
Asp,  a  Guthrie  lawyer,  Oklahoma  Teri-itory.  Plans  for  creat- 
ing a  larger  organizatiou  and  for  secnring  additional  rei^re- 
sentation  in  Washiugtou  were  discussed  principally.  The 
committee  upon  adjourmnent  announced  that  its  next  meeting 
woidd  be  held  here  on  Xovember  3.  On  this  date  the  commit- 
tee was  gratified  to  report  that  the  Purcell  convention  had 
accomplished  the  result  of  impressing  Delegate  Fhnn  with 
the  growing  earnestness  of  the  jieople.  and  that  he  had  intro- 
duced a  bill  embodying  the  ideas  ex]iiessed  in  that  convention. 
That  ^fr.  Flymi  should  have  all  support  the  organization 
could  muster  was  a  unanimous  sentiment,  and  to  that  end 
the  connnittee  ]mt  out  a  call  for  still  another  convention,  the 
date  of  which  was  Xovember  2.^,  an<l  the  ]dace  Kingtisher. 
This  con\-ention  was  more  largely  attemled  than  that  at  Pur- 
cell and  manifested  a  more  heightened  degree  of  enthusiasm. 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKI.AIIO.MA  CITY  147 

It  elected  ^Ir.  Clarke  tu  the  station  of  ooumiitteeuian  at  larye 
and  A.  J.  Seay  ot  Kiiigtislier,  secretary.  Frank  Ak-Master 
was  elected  as  Oklalioiiia  Comity's  re])resentative  on  the  com- 
mittee. 

On  Xovcnihcr  15  of  this  year  a  court-martial  was  convened 
at  Fort  Reno  to  try  ('apt.  I).  F.  Stiles,  then  retired,  on  the 
charge  of  liaviug  conunitted  a  fraud  in  the  sale  of  buildings 
on  the  GoA-ermnent  reservation  at  Oklahoma  City  to  a  fair 
association,  the  charge  specifying  that  there  were  eight  build- 
ings sold  and  only  five  reported  sold  hy  Captain  Stiles.  Capt. 
E.  H.  Crowder,  acting  judge  advocate  of  the  United  States 
Army,  was  judge  advocate  at  the  trial,  and  Captain  Stiles 
was  represented  by  Lieut.  ( 'liarles  J.  'J'.  Clark  of  the  Tenth  In- 
fantry. The  charge  proved  unfounded  and  ('aptain  Stiles 
returned  to  Oklahoma  City  and  reuiaiiied,  a  useful  citizen, 
until  his  death  in  1900.  I'art  of  tlu'  court-martial  proceedings 
were  witnessed  l)y  (Jen.  Xelson  A.  Miles  who,  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  a  Avestern  hmiting  exjiedition  with  Col.  William  F. 
Cody,  had  come  to  Fort  Keiio  for  an  inspection  of  the  post. 
Colonel  Cody  acc()nipanying  him. 

In  his  first  annual  report  to  Secretary  of  the  Interi«n'  ILtke 
Smith,  Governor  Renfrow  included  some  detailed  statistics 
relative  to  Oklahoma  County.  These  sh<iwed  that  in  ISflO  the 
population  of  the  county  was  12,794:  in  1^^92,  21.()(il):  and  in 
1893,  25,3G;J.  Taxable  }U'oi)erty  in  b^92  had  a  valuation  of 
$2,661,000  and  in  1893  of  $3,084,000.  The  scholastic  popula- 
tion in  1891  Avas  -1,263  and  in  1893.  :).:U)7. 

AVilliam  ]\1.  Stone,  who  had  twice  lieen  governor  of  Iowa 
and,  under  the  administration  of  President  Harrison,  counnis- 
sioner  of  the  general  land  office,  died  at  his  home  near  Okla- 
homa City  on  July  18.  fiovernor  Stone  had  bought  a  tract 
of  land  near  the  city  and  c-rected  upon  it  what  was  then 
known  as  a  very  fine  home  and  had  entei'ed  upon  the  prac- 
tice of  law. 

Among  charters  granted  I)y  the  Secretary  of  the  Teiritory 
during  the  year  Avas  one  to  the  Press-Gazette  I^rinting  Com- 
pany, that  iiad  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000  and  of  which  ^V.  J. 
Donovan,  T.  M.  r]>shaw,  T.  G.  Pitman.  C.  A.  (ialbraith  and 
J.  L.  Ilarralsou  wwc  iucorporatoi-s. 

Xew  members  of  the  cit\-  council  elected  this  vear  'were 


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14S  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

F.  M.  Riley,  C.  E.  Dunn,  .].  K.  Mcllvanc,  who  defeated  C.  G. 
Jones,  and  II.  F.  Butler.  Oscar  (i.  Lee,  who  in  the  previous 
year  liad  I)een  appointed  city  marshal,  resigned  on  April  12 
and  E.  F.  Cochran  was  app<iinted  as  his  suecessur.  An  ordi- 
nance was  passed  proAidinu  that  uienibcrs  of  the  police  force 
should  wear  a  uniform.  The  council  this  year  ap])lied  to  the 
District  Couit  for  permission  to  fund  a  city  indel)tedness  of 
about  .$30,000.  Another  of  its  acts  was  a  resohitiou  addressed 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  asking  that  the  Kickapoo 
Indian  reservation  be  opened  to  settlement.  Bonds  were  voted 
this  year  for  installation  of  the  original  system  of  sanitary 
sewers. 


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1894— THE    ACTIVE   TEX   THOUSAND 

While  the  annals  of  this  yeai'  contain  muaeruus  echoes 
of  outlawry,  which  existed  before  the  opening,  and  was  en- 
livened and  intensified  with  the  increase  in  population  and 
the  careless  and  indifferent  character  of  a  large  i)ercentage 
of  the  poj^ulatiou,  they  portray  some  of  the  important  Ix'gin- 
iiings  of  permanency.  An  active  interest  in  agriculture  and 
minerals  was  manifest.  Social  life  achieved  tirst-page  space 
in  newspai>ers.  An  industrious  commercial  club,  boasting  that 
the  city  had  30,000  population,  entered  vigorously  int<>  pro- 
gressive enterprises. 

A  right  of  way  from  Oklahoma  Oity  to  a  terminus  of  the 
Choctaw  Railroad  to  the  East  was  being  secured  and  the  city 
was  on  the  eve  of  getting  its  second  trunk  line,  the  Santa  Fe 
having  been  laid  tlu-ough  the  Territory  several  years  Ijcfore 
the  opening.  This  gave  zest  to  the  town's  aml)ititins  to  be- 
come a  conmiercial  center  and  metro] >olis.  Being  at  tlic 
border  of  the  big  western  prairie,  the  matter  of  fuel  demanded 
attention  if  audntions  were  to  be  realized. 

S(»me  gcoli.uical  work  had  l>een  done  in  the  new  country, 
both  by  }>ri\:it('  and  prol)al)ly  adventurous  "rock  hounds" 
and,  in  a  limited  way,  l)y  the  L'nited  States  (leological  Sur- 
vey. A  collcctidii  of  reports  came  into  possession  of  the  Com- 
mercial ( 'liib  and  these  l)rou,ulU  aboiU  the  Hrst  organized  mox-c- 
ment  to  explore  for  gas.  The  dul)  called  an  outdoors  mass 
meeting  to  discuss  the  sugL^vstion  that  a  well  l)e  drilled.  It 
was  attended  by  sevei-al  hundred  men  and  wouieii  and  so 
enthusiastic  did  they  l)ecouie.  after  sjteeches.  that  sevei-al  hun- 
dred dollars  A\as  subscribed  to  a  drilling  fmid.  .V  coimnittee 
to  solicit  funds  and  make  other  pre[iarati(Uis  for  fuitliering 
the  project  was  appointed  1)\-  Henr\-  ^Vill.  ]iresi(lent  of  the 
club.  Tt  consisted  of  V.  M.  Riley.  W.  M.  Pyles.  (  '.  ( i.  Jones. 
Hemy  Oveiholser.  Henry  AVill.  T.  M.  Richards.,n  and  I].  F. 
Burwell. 

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152  TIIK  STOHV  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

.More  gv(iliii;ist.s  wtTr  attracted  to  the  Tcrritoiy  1)\-  \-iitue 
of  the  2)ul)licity  i;i\eii  this  eiitei'})rise  and  the  eoiniiuuiit\-  s(jou 
was  infected  l)y  a  ucmiiiie  case  of  oil  fe\-ei-,  tiu'  first  it  had 
liad  and  the  first  in  tlie  Territory  of  Oldalioma.  Xew  sur\e\'s 
were  made  and  at  a  hiter  nieetin,^  of  the  ( 'oniiuercial  Club  the 
loaders  were  urged  to  arrange  for  a  well  to  he  drilled  in 
every  township  of  Oklahoma  County.  Interest  was  intensitied 
))y  geological  reports  from  other  sections  of  the  Territory  and 
adventurers  began  to  investigate  the  possibilities  of  asphalt 
to  the  south  and  rumors  about  gold  and  copper  in  the  Wicdiita 
Mountains. 

EA'eutually  the  oil  and  gas  connnittee  created  the  Okla- 
homa City  Oil,  Coal  &  Gas  Company,  of  which  Henry  Over- 
holser  was  elected  president.  It  had  a  capital  stock  of  -$50,000 
and  the  l>oai-d  of  directors  consisted  of  ^Ir.  Overholser.  Henry 
Will,  F.  M.  Kil.'y.  Edward  H.  Cooke,  O.  A.  .Alitscher,  AV.  M. 
Pyles  and  T.  II.  (Jroup.  The  company  erected  what  was  then 
a  modern  deJ-rick  on  Military  Hill,  a  tract  of  land  situated 
north  of  the  Choctaw  right  (d'  way  and  east  of  the  Santa  Ee. 

The  most  sensational  event  >>t  the  year  was  the  sentencing 
to  jail  of  Eraidc  Mc^faster  liy  District  Judge  Henry  W.  Scott. 
McMaster  was  a  lawyer,  scholai'.  orator  and  editor.  Probably 
he  had  no  superiors  at  that  time  in  Oklahoma  in  intellect  and 
brilliance.  It  is  certain  that  none  surpassed  him  in  sarcasm 
and  invective.  Physically  unattractiw,  (d'  slightly  stoo|)ed 
shoulders,  and  wearing  a  I'ectangular  and  ii-i  egularly  trinuued 
suit  of  whiskers,  he  belied  hrst  im]»ressions.  He  was  a  pro- 
found student  and  a  masterful  speaker,  and  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  speaking  his  thoughts  irrespecti\'e  nt  the  occasion 
of  the  expectations  of  his  auditors.  This  was  more  than  once 
the  cause  of  his  mental  and  personal  discomhture. 

Mc^Iaster  was  angered  by  some  statement  or  ruling  of  tlie 
district  judge  and  procet'ded  to  put  into  his  characteristic 
English  his  opinion  of  that  digiiitar\-.  Judge  Scott  had  him 
brought  into  cnurt  and.  in  tlu'  absence  of  a  retraction  or  ajiol- 
ogies,  fined  him  --^oUO  and  sentenced  him  t<i  serx'e  six  months 
in  the  county  jail.  McMaster  accepted  the  sentence  stoically 
and  was  placed  in  jail.  Some  days  later  lie  repeiited  and 
wrote  a  Unte  of  apc^logy  to  Judge  Scutt.  therel)y  pro.-ui-ing 
his  I'elease.     It  has  been  said  that  }Hiison  was  found  in  his  cell 


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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIo.MA  CITY  i:>o 

and  that  ho  eontcinphited  ciidiiiii'  his  life.  That  lie  had  such 
intention  was  denied  by  some  ut  his  friends.  During  his 
incarceration  he  was  permitted  once  to  leave  the  jail,  under 
guard,  that  he  might  cast  a  vote  in  the  city  election. 

The  incarceration  of  ]\IcMaster  produced  a  sensation  in 
other  towns  of  the  Territory.  He  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  democratic  party  organization  after  the  oiiening  and 
he  wielded  an  influence  as  great  as  any  other  man  in  Terri- 
torial politics.  Sentiment  in  his  favor  was  therefore  cohu-cd 
considerably  ))y  i)olitics.  Resolutions  condemning  the  action 
of  Judge  Scott  Avere  passed  by  iiolitical  and  other  organiza- 
tions in  all  the  principal  towns  and  some  of  these  were  sent 
to  President  CleA'claud  who  is  said  to  have  considered  seri- 
ously calling  for  the  resignation  of  the  judge.  ^IcMaster  re- 
mained in  Oklahoma  City  until  the  opening  of  the  Kiowa  and 
Comanche  Indian  country  in  1901  when  he  estal^lished  a  law 
office  in  LaAvton.    There  he  died  a  few  years  later. 

Statehood  this  year  Avas  receiving  serious  attt'ution  by 
Congress,  and  the  new  Territory,  already  aml)itious  for  self- 
g-OAT-rmnent,  maintained  delegations  in  "Washington  to  lobby 
for  tlie  jtassage  of  a  bill.  Leaders  of  ])olitical  thought  wrvc 
not  a  unit  in  the  mattt'r.  however,  some  demanding  that  a 
single  state  be  created  of  the  two  Territories  and  others  hold- 
ing fast  to  the  two-state  idea.  Among  those  representing  Ok- 
lahoma City  in  A\'ashingtou  that  year  Avere  Sidney  Clarke  and 
Col.  J.  AV.  Johnson,  ))ut  during  the  year  the  city  sent  a  sjiccial 
delegation  out  on  a  statehood  expedition.  It  consisted  of  ( '.  (i. 
Jones,  O.  x\.  Mitscherand  Si^ymour  Price.  They  Aveve  couimis- 
sioned  to  represent  the  city  at  the  Trans  .Mississippi  Congress 
in  St.  l.ouis  but  the  purpose  princijially  was  to  ai-ipiaim  men 
from  other  states  witli  the  desires  of  the  ()klahomans.  A  spe- 
cial connnissiouer  of  the  city  to  AVashingtou  this  _\ear  Avas  Ed- 
ward Jj.  Dunn. 

Sidney  Clarke,  wlio  was  chairman  of  the  Statehood  Exec- 
utive Connnittee.  reporte(]  near  tlie  end  of  the  yeai-  that  con- 
ditions in  Indian  Teri'itoi'X'  Aveic  an  injury  to  the  cause  of 
single  Statehood  and  that  this  Avas  the  big  ].roblem  the  Okla- 
honians  had  to  deal  witli.  \Vashiiigtou,  he  said,  heai'd  almost 
dailv  repoi'ts  of  1)au(litry  and  paral}zeil  l)Usiness  couditi'ius 


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15(j  Till':   STOKV   OF  OKLAIIO.MA  llTY 

ill  Jiuliaii  Tc'iritni-y  and  of  scenes  tliat  weie  a  tlisyraee  to 
civilization  and  to  the  (ioveinnunt  id'  the  L'lnted  States. 

Sam  \V.  Siualh  the  well  known  Itrilliant  platlonn  .speaker 
and  evangelist  id'  the  South,  early  in  the  year  hei-anie  editor 
of  The  Daily  Oklalionian.  His  editorials  on  current  events 
ci'eated  an  original  sort  of  snapp)-  literature  that  was  in  }ier- 
fect  accord  with  the  ideals  (d'  tlu'  day,  and  his  huniandnterest 
contrilnitions  touching  on  such  suhjects  as  hatth's  with  out- 
laws, murders  and  street  hrawls,  sensational  divorce  cases  and 
political  con\-entioiis  of  the  enemy  were  masterful  in  tlie  same 
degree  as  his  sermons  on  tlu'  feast  of  Ijelsha/.zar  and  the  di»wn- 
fail  of  the  devil. 

He  was  succeeded  after  a  fvw  nuiiiths  hy  Charles  Ijarrett. 
who  popularized  the  newsi)aper  with  lou^  lists  (d'  i)e]'souals 
and  i>age-one  iTsumes  of  evoTits  in  other  towns  (d'  the  Tt-rri- 
tory,  and  who  lahored  zealously  to  piouiofe  all  legitimate  in- 
terests of  the  city.  iJarrett  was  succeeded  hy  R.  Q.  Blakeney. 
who  already  had  earned  his  spurs  as  a  cavalier  for  the  demo- 
cratic party  and  who  carried  on  valorously  in  defi'at  and  out. 
Blakeney  dignified  social  items  liy  gi\ing  them  a  i»lace  on  the 
first  column  of  the  first  ini'^r.  He  filled  his  editorial  columns 
with  intidligeiitly  liuilt  and  weiuiity  jiaragraphs,  maintained 
a  correspondent  in  AVa^hin.utoii,  and  gave  the  ]>aper  a  dress 
suggestive  of  cosmo])olitanism.  lender  his  direction  The 
Daily  Oklahoman  became  a  constructive  and  constructing  en- 
terprise, and  tliis  year  was  in  reality  the  heginning  of  its 
long  period  of  nsefuhu'ss  as  prohahly  the  most  determinative 
factor  in  the  erection  nf  the  metro] >olis  (d'  today. 

In  the  municipal  election  this  spring  Nelson  I5utton  suc- 
ceeded O.  A.  :\ritscher  as  mayor,  and  the  ticket  that  15utton 
captioned  defeated  one  iiominateil  by  a  (dtizens"  committee 
and  headed  hy  1).  C.  Lewis. 

The  re}>uhlicans  were  \-ictorious  in  the  autumn  elections, 
both  in  Oklahoma  County  and  the  Tenitory,  and  Dennis 
Flynu,  afterward  a  lawyei'  in  Oklahouia  City  and  '\\'asliiiig- 
ton,  but  formerly  postmastei'  at  (iuthrie.  was  elected  Dele-ate 
to  (Niiigress.  Henry  Overholscr  was  elected  Count}'  Commis- 
sioner and  made  chairman  of  the  bi.;ird.  ()ther  county  offic-d's 
elected  were  W.  V.  Harper,  jud-e:  ("i.  A.  Dridler.  iv'uister  of 
deeds:S.Tr.  Glider.  .-lerkM'.  H.  I  )rF,,rd,  sheriff ;  J.  H.  Tirown, 


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MAl.V    fSTIIKKT.    OKLAHOMA    C  I'lV, 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  159  ■  l(i>^ 

attorney;  Jolni  Carson,  treasurer,  and  F.  IT.  Umlioltz,  super- 
intendent of  public  instruction. 

During  that  year  Samuel  ]\Lurpliy  resigned  as  Territorial 
Treasurer  and  Governor  Renfrow  rtllcd  the  vacancy  l)y  a])- 
pointing-  M.  L.  Turner,  then  an  official  of  the  (.'apital  National 
Bank  of  Guthrie,  and  who  later  moved  to  Oklahoma  City  and 
founded  the  Western  Xatioual  Bank  and  was  f(»r  twenty  \ears 
one  of  the  city's  leading  citizens.    He  died  in  1921. 

Among  enterprises  set  going  that  year  by  the  Connnereial 
Clnl)  was  an  effort  to  secure  title  for  the  city  to  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  34-12n-3w.  Part  of  the  tract  was  claimed 
by  Ben  Miller  who  was  classed  as  a  Sooner,  and  that  cognomen 
was  given  him  by  the  clul)  in  a  memorial  sent  to  Congress 
asking  for  legislation  making  transfer  of  the  tract.  The  me- 
morial was  signed  by  Henry  Will.  ]ii csideiit,  ainl  Walter 
Jehnison,  secretary. 

Tn  1S94  George  Sohlberg  came  down  fi-om  Kansas  and 
organized  the  Acme  Milling  Company  which  erected  in  Okla- 
homa City  the  first  large  manufactory  of  fiour,  an  entei'prise 
that  was  freciuently  lauded  by  the  newsitapers  and  i-eceived 
encouragement  of  the  commercial  club. 

That  year  John  A.  Flattery  was  api)ointed  ixistmaster  and 
Dr.  Delos  Walker  was  elected  president  of  the  Territorial 
Medical  Association. 


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'.,■■',  hill'!' 


1895— CHOCTAW  EAILROAD  ENTERS 

Perhaps  the  must  important  eveut  of  the  year  3895  was 
the  completion  of  the  Choctaw,  Olchihoma  it  Culf  Railr(_iad 
into  Okhihoma  City.  Later  this  road  was  extended  westward 
to  Amarilk),  Texas.  Its  eastern  terminus  was  ^lemiihis,  Tenn. 
Later  it  became  known  officially  as  a  trunk  line  of  the  Rock 
Island  System.  It  jnit  the  new  city  in  direct  conimuni<-ation 
with  the  ])rincipal  coal  district  of  Jndian  Teri'itory  and  with 
the  wheat  and  Liraziny  districts  (d'  AVestcru  Oklahoma  and  the 
Panhandle  of  Texas. 

Selection  of  the  route  of  this  road  into  Oklahoma  City 
fi'om  the  East  was  attended  hy  not  a  few  ordinary  difficulties 
and  some  of  ma.jor  im])ortance.  A  tight  developed  among 
towns  in  the  formei'  Pottawotamie  and  Kickapod  reservations, 
with  Tecumseh  as  a  iioint  around  which  rotated  many  heated 
controversies.  Tecumseh  went  so  far  as  to  emiilo}-  an  attor- 
ney, Horace  Speed  of  Guthrie,  who  afterwards  was  United 
States  District  Attorney.  His  employment  was  tme  <d'  the 
incidents  of  those  eai'ly  years  that  tended  to  develop  a  tlame 
of  modest  hatred  out  of  a  small  tire  of  commercial  and  social 
rivalry  between  Oklahoma  City  and  Guthrie.  Speed  was 
credited  with  lieing  a  strong  (Juthrie  ]iartisan  and  Okla- 
homa City  citizens  intei'])reted  his  employment  by  Tecumseh 
as  an  effort  on  the  ]iart  of  the  caitital  to  divert  the  <  'huctaw 
road  from  the  original  surx'ey  to  a  diaguiial  route  t>>  (iuthrie. 

The  route  conti-oversy  terminated  temporarily  in  the 
LTnited  States  Court  which  granted  an  injunrtidu  auainst  the 
road  being  laid  across  the  Kicka])oo  Indian  resei'vation.  The 
dismissal  of  this  injunction  after  a  few  months  was  the  last 
determining  factor  in  the  choice  of  r(»utes  and  soon  rails  were 
being  laid  to  Oklahoma  <''ity,  and  from  Shawnee  rather  than 
from  Tecumseh.  Oklahoma  City  then  jiroceeded  in  an  effoi-t 
to  have  tiiis  cit>'  made  general  headtpuirters  of  the  railroad 
company  and  sho})s  established  here.  In  this  it  was  unsuc- 
IGl 


ri   I  ij'.r:    'n  I    !"  M.^ID— ^cU!^' 


ir.  ■    -Ji--)  -    ii 


li'  .l-i;!'  >  '  )U: 


I    1.:    :(    ;,M!,   lil 


162  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

cessfiil,  but  the  (k'cisiuu  to  loi-ate  tlie  shops  at  yhawncL'  left 
no  bittcniL'ss  and  the  city  hiiilders  of  the  metropolis,  now- 
assured  of  rail  facilities  that  would  attract  manufacturers 
and  wholesalers,  turned  their  attentiou  to  other  industrial  en- 
terprises. 

But  the  spirit  of  railroad  huihlinu',  present  in  all  auil)i- 
tious  comnuniities  of  the  'JV-ri-itory  was  kept  aliw.  It  was 
evident  that  the  Frisco  had  in  mind  an  extensiou  from  Sa- 
puljia  into  the  new  country.  That  Oklahoma  City  should  be 
its  soutlnvestern  olijective  was  the  ambition  of  all  citizens. 
The  first  step  toward  securing  the  exteusiou  was  taken  when 
the  Oklahoma  Central  Kaihvay  (Jom})any  was  forined  here. 
Of  this  company  C.  G.  Joues  was  elected  president,  O.  A. 
Mitsehei',  vice  president;  S.  A.  Steward,  secretary,  and  Henry 
Overholscr,  treasuri^r.  •A^'e"ll  have  this  road  completed  into 
Oklalioma  City  within  eighteen  mouths,"  President  Joues 
told  citizens  in  a  mass  meeting. 

Railroad  promoters  came  fron^  every  direction.  Their 
projects  contem]>lated  lines  froui  Kansas,  ^Missouri  and  Texas, 
and  Oklahoma  <.'ity  and  all  other  growing  centers  (d'  the  Ter- 
rit(jry  were  enti'rtained  with  sp(_'eches  of  enteri)risiug  indus- 
trial adventui-ei's.  Jn  aftei'  years  only  a  small  few  of  these 
enterprises  materialized.  Oklahoma  (Jity  men  themselves 
were  not  aver.'«e  to  such  ju'omotions.  AVhen  the  i-oute  of  the 
Choctaw  road  had  been  determined  and  Tecmuseh  had  lost 
its  fight  against  Shawnee,  there  was  formed  in  Oklahoma  (_'it_\- 
the  Tecumseli  tic  Shawnee  Railway  Com]iany.  It  had  a  capital 
stock  of  $150,000,  it  purposed  to  lay  a  line  lietween  those 
two  towns,  and  its  incoriioi-ators  were  J.  T.  ^iartin,  F.  M. 
Riley,  J.  S.  Jenkins.  C.  A.  .M.-Xabb,  1).  C.  Pryor  and  R.  0. 
Hays.  " 

Before  tlie  completion  of  the  ('hoctaw  road  passengers 
were  carried  by  stage  betwct'u  Oklahoma  City  and  Shawnee, 
the  latter  having  liecome  the  cliicd'  coiumercial  place  nf  the 
Pottawotamie  ainl  l\ickai)oo  rouutries.  ]'^>r  a  long  time  this 
stage  Avas  operated  liy  J.  P.  Atl^issou.  wlio  kept  his  time 
table  in  the  newspajicrs  conspicuously  bef(U-e  the  |iublic.  Time 
tables  in  those  days  were  far  nioi'c  essential  tlian  hotel  or 
restaui-ant  uu-nus.  I'or  the  nearly  unlimited  j.dssibilitics  of  the 
new  conntr\-  were  atti'acting  atti'ution  throughout  tlie  entire 


u.-    ■'■Ii'"    iv-    ■'!     ••    -i.ii;,;.^:    /i.'j  jift  h-i!:    -vvm^nM!  un 

nl-r    ;     .     ti        r.,.,.-h|         i;)  -   (■!    I,,  .      ii  ;■;    )   :    ,Ml<;-.     nil    ".U 
I  7/   r  ■'     ^;  .  v    '  i.onr   i     ,,.;  ■.,       .i,,uitM, ■  >>n1 


■I'll  'I'      ■>;     ij'  ;    -^ji'.' 


■  f..!    i 


■!'■■.! 


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'7.'    /  i  Miiioi    /;  )ii 


'^^'f(^t 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  165 

country.  At  the  end  of  a  blustery  day  in  April,  Atkisson 
drove  a  battered  and  top-shredded  eoadi  into  the  Oklahoma 
City  terminal.  ■'The  wind  upset  her  three  tinie.s  between 
here  and  (Jhoctaw  City/"  he  announced  to  an  inquisitive  crowd 
tliat  awaited  his  arrival.  Nobody  was  injured,  he  said,  and 
the  crowd  added  iaughter  and  jest  to  the  reception  Ijabble. 

Thi-ee  mass  meetings  were  held  during-  the  year  to  ad- 
vance the  cause  of  statehood.  In  the  tirst  of  these  a  resolution 
was  passed  memorializing  Delegate  Dennis  Flynn  to  sup- 
IJort  tlie  Sidney  Clarke  bill.  This  resolution  was  framed  by 
D.  D.  Leach,  Ledru  Guthrie  and  B.  Treadwell.  The  second 
was  of  the  nature  of  a  convention  that  was  called  to  order 
by  C.  G.  Jones  and  of  which  F.  E.  Gillette  of  El  Eeno  was 
elected  chairman,  and  L.  N.  Horubeck,  editor  of  the  Minco 
^linsti-el  at  ]\linco,  I.  T.,  secretary.  The  coimnittee  on  reso- 
lutions consisted  of  C.  H.  Carswell  of  El  Eeno,  J.  AV.  Hooker 
of  Puree]],  Frank  McMaster  of  Oldahoma  City,  Frank  H. 
Greer  of  Guthrie,  Sehvyn  Douglas  of  Oklahoma  City,  W.  E. 
Aslier  of  Tecmnseh  and  Amos  Hays  of  the  Chickasaw  Nation. 
The  resolution  demanded  an  early  ])assage  of  a  Statehood 
bill  and  petitioned  the  opening  to  settlement  of  the  reserva- 
tions of  the  Kickapoo  and  the  Kiowa  and  (Jomanclu'  Indians. 

At  tlie  third  meeting,  held  Xovemljer  30,  delegates  were 
elected  to  attend  a  Statehood  convention  of  the  Territory  to 
136  held  at  Shawnee  Decemlier  4.  Resolutions  adopted  de- 
manded a  single  State  of  the  two  Territ(n'ies.  The  delegates 
were  SamuerCrocker,  J.  T.  Griftitli,  C.  (i.  Jones,  C.  II.  De- 
Ford,  R.  Q.  Blakeney  and  D.  C.  Lewis.  At  the  Shawnee  con- 
vention Sidney  Clarke  was  reelected  chairman  of  the  State- 
hood Executi\-e  Committee.  Blakenex'  was  secretary  of  the 
convention.  Before  the  convention  adjourned  it  provided 
for  the  hr»lding  of  another  one  in  Oklahoma  City  on  .lanuary 
8.  It  was  during  tliis  convention  tliat  the  slogan  '"het  the 
People  Rule"  was  tirst  used,  and  singularly  enough  it  was 
employed  by  individuals  and  edit(U's  of  ni'wspapers  irres]>ec- 
tive  of  political  party  affiliation.  The  slogan  was.  re\iv(Ml  as 
l)art  of  a  political  creed  some  }ears  later  when  Stateliood  liad 
Ix'en  achieved  and  the  Democrats,  long  de]>rived  of  office,  en- 
tered tlie  first  campaign  for  the  election  of  state  ofiicials. 

Wliat   became   ixqiularly   known   as   the   Scott-.McMaster 


/..I Hi'  k.'  /-dny^  a  I 


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■'■;-  .-     V-      ,      ,.  .,:     ,    -,  ■'.,  :   ,,,i.      .  .,!i  ?,..,,,.!-,;. ,M   i..A'.:   [\u\ 

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■■         •'.  -ri-       .'.■     f..:.M  ■■;    •>■■/•    .:')  v.    ,i,;r^  •.!:.,!: 
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Ki''    ■     ■  ;        .    :■  .,     .-r-'M-i    ;.    ''    .J  I',  t     ■      .•    •.,!  ;  I,;'  ■■     ,';■■(;. /;H    ii..;taw7 

■;  ■  ';.:.  ^  ..-,  :,:  '  ''^  n'  -  ■.,;;>  /-'  ;n;!'.;,,  /  •;  f)  iJT )/ 1 1  SinjiJ 
.!-.■    .!,;      II     J'  --v   •   :  !--,     ;'.       !'  '■/:!-  '     '.iM     -v.';.'!         /?<.('!(■.■;!{()■:. 


>ni    7.1  i.ov,,i.iOJ 


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-;+ 


166  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

feud,  wliic-li  bc^an  tlic  preNimis  year  when  ^LcMastor  wa.s 
Ijlaced  ill  jail  tui-  (-<iutt'Ui|)t  <<i'  cdurt.  was  ivvived,  and  a  con- 
siderable imition  (if  the  ixiindation  l)ccainc  partisan.  Mc- 
Master  snceeeded  in  .^ettini;  the  subject  ap^n  before  Presi- 
dent Cleveland,  tliis  time  by  a  more  ilirect  route  and  with 
substantial  jjolitical  liaclvinu',  but  the  President  foiuid  no  cause 
for  dismissal  of  Judue  Scott.  That  virtnally  terminati'd  the 
bitterness  and  it  uratbially  waned  into  insignificance.  But 
the  people  were  to  hear  more,  much  more,  of  ^Ic^iaster. 

All  event  of  this  year  .that,  at  the  time,  had  no  relationshi]) 
with  affaiis  of  this  city  but  which  later  Ijecame  an  issue  in  the 
affairs  of  State,  was  the  killing  of  Edward  Jennings  l)y  Tem- 
ple Houston  at  AVoodward.  This  resulted  from  an  open  .street 
battle,  October  9,  with  Jack  Love  and  Temple  Houston  on  one 
side  and  Edward  and  John  Jennings  on  the  other.  John 
Jennings  received  a  flesh  wound  in  the  arm.  Temple  Houston 
was  a  descendant  of  Gen.  Sam  Houston,  hero  of  the  Battle  of 
San  Jacinto.  Jack  Love,  at  statehood,  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Corporation  Commission  and  was  its  chairman  U!)til  his 
death  in  Oklahoma  City  a  few  years  later.  John  Jennings  was 
an  early  resident  of  Oklahoma  ('ity  and  a  ])olitical  leader  for 
some  years.  A  brother,  Al.  who  asserted  in  a  record  of  his 
deeds  twenty  years  later  that  he  was  driven  to  outlawry  by 
the  AVoodward  tragedy,  lived  here  after  his  release  from 
prison  and  was  the  democratic  nominee  for  County  Attor- 
ney ill  one  I»iennial  campaign  and  two  years  later  made  an 
unsuccessful  camiiaign  for  the  nomination  for  governor. 

j\[ayor  Xelson  Button's  administration  met  with  favoi-,  in 
spite  of  the  gradually  widening  breach  of  ])artisanshi]),  and 
in  the  spring  election  the  democrats  elected  all  their  candi- 
dates for  aldermen  but  one.  The  one  was  Cajit.  E.  S.  (iood- 
rich,  a  rei)uii]ican.  E.  S.  Rliodes  was  elected  from  the  tirst 
ward,  Erank  Alenton  from  the  second  ward.  Captain  (iood- 
rich  from  the  third  ward,  and  J.  S.  Lindsey  from  the  fourth 
ward.  Edward  Cooke  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  srliool 
board.  '^I'lie  <-ity  received  from  the  Department  of  the  Interior 
a  grant  to  lots  -10  and  41  of  block  2:";.  known  as  the  Hill 
corner.  How  it  gained  possession  of  the  jiropert}-  tlu-ou^h 
strategy  is  to  I)e  ivlated  hereafter. 

The  anniversarv  of  the  establishment  of  the  <-it\-  was  (-ele- 


1.(1  r»fn. 


.!i,   )V...I.I 


■•)!/.       -Mf.-i-f,;       ■.1.1).     »i    I!  .      .1:.M[.H|    •-(!?   'j(.    MM')!'    I    '.I'lsji  >i>Ic, 

'T!-      i  ■-,:      .j.l   ■       j  -fill       ;■:-.,..     ,;      ;  I       iMiJ    --(  '^    Jic     ■  '    '       ■     ■': 

•ff;    fl-)l..llilli  ■■'!     ,lhi"-|IV     ':  ,i'''       .T'*    '■'    ■       •    -'     ■*  .i 


il' 


•^  h.  i<':frii^n 


iHi;   •■■!: 


:;[   ■;..^i    ■/    ;■.'/■!/ 


■?    -tin;!:;    i; 


THE  STORY  OK  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  167 

bratod  luode.stly  this  year.  Col.  J.  W.  Jolmsoii  delivering  au 
oration  and  Mrs.  A.  C  Seott  directing-  a  program  of  music. 
The  hidies  of  the  Presbyterian  Cliurch  served  meals. 

A  tragedy  of  the  year  was  the  death  of  ^irs,  Harry  ( '.  St. 
John,  wlio  was  killed  l)y  her  husband,  a  prominent  and  learned 
young  attorney,  and  a  son  of  Gov.  John  P.  St.  John  of  Kansas. 
Public  indignation  almost  supersedt'd  reason  as  details  of 
the  traged}-  were  luifolded  and  t(jld  and  told  again.  Death 
on  October  11,  189G,  ran  counter  to  the  course  of  legal  pro- 
ceedings and  it  (]uieted  the  ravings  of  a  conscience-stricken 
brain  that  hastened  the  end. 

There  were  churches  and  preachers  and  growing  congre- 
gations, in  contradistinction  to  saloons,  tragedies  and  sensa- 
tional divorce  proceedings.  One  could  easily  imagine  the 
preachers  were  poorly  jiaid,  i)rol)al)ly  wei-e  engaged  in  a  man- 
ner of  niissio]iary  wcirk  with  funds  (-(.ming  out  (d'  other  treas- 
uries. Law  enforcement,  however,  had  now  become  a  public 
policy  and  churches  were  tixed  integrally.  That  the  Pev.  E. 
Huffake]-,  pastor  of  the  ^Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 
needed  a  new  suit  of  clothes  and  some  expense  money  l)efore 
going  to  Conference  may  be  easily  imagined  l)y  one  who  read 
his  urgent  call  of  the  stewards  and  trustees  into  s])ecial  sessioii 
the  evening  of  Xovcmbcr  20.  The  board  consisted  of  Dr.  J. 
R.  Mcllvam,  Dr.  C.  B.  Bradford,  P.  G.  Blakeney,  E.  Car- 
ruthers,  P.  Woodbridge,  W.  S.  Williams,  P.  J.  Pay,  G.  E. 
Walker,  M.  O.  Craigmoyle  and  W.  A.  Iluddlestou. 

Nor  were  theatrical  attractions  lacking,  though  the  best  (d' 
them,  which  were  but  little  l)etter  generally  s|)eakiug,  than 
the  worst  of  them,  came  at  very  long  intervals.  Among  tlu' 
best  of  them  was  "The  Black  <'rook."'  1'he  press  agent 
announced  in  choicest  English  that  it  was  fresli  from  a 
successful  run  of  twelve  months  in  Xew  York  City.  The 
costumes  he  described  as  l)eing  magnificent  and  made  of  tlic 
costliest  of  silks,  satins  and  velvets,  and  the\-  were  tailnrcd 
especially  for  this  tour  of  the  AVest.  Their  bi-illiaiit  effects. 
he  said,  were  sinqily  dazzling  an<l  s]ircad  lirilliance  nxcr  the 
throng  of  dancers  in  various  ballets,  a  l)rilliance  enhanced  "by 
countless  colored  electric  liglits."  it  was  a  spectacle  such  as 
is  seldom  seen  outside  id'  a  uietropolis. 

Two  ])attalions  of  the   Oklahoma    Xational   Guard   were 


/IM      M^ 


1.   .vir,  -   ■  :,/: 

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a. 

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JJHIJUV 

If;   >:;fl;lf^-i'( 


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III!')     'I-. 7/ 


..Hi'     ;N    j. 


168  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

organized  at  fiutlirie  diiriiii;-  tlie  yviw  and  anion;;-  thr  anil)itious 
yuuiiii,-  lieutenants  wlio  expected  pmniotidns  sonn  was  Edward 
Overliolser,  son  of  one  of  the  eity's  tirst  citizens  and  who  after- 
ward was  elected  mayor. 

Two  large  school  Ijuildings  were  completed  and  the  en- 
rollment totalled  800.  Plans  were  made  for  a  building  in  the 
]\laywood  Addition  and  one  on  Military  Ilill. 

Seymour  Price  was  elected  })resident  of  the  Oklahoma  Gas 
&  Electric  Comi)any.  Gen.  Henry  (J.  Tliomas  was  elected 
president  of  the  Oklahoma  Waterworks  Company.  Henry 
Will  was  elected  president  of  the  State  Xatii»nal  Bank.  Capt. 
J.  C.  Delauey,  who  had  ))een  receiver  of  the  United  States 
Land  Office,  ^vas.  through  the  influence  of  his  old-time  friend, 
Senator  ^latt  Quay,  appointed  superintendent  of  public  prop- 
erty in  the  capital  of  Pennsylvania.  Roy  Hoft'man  of  the 
Guthrie  Leader  was  elected  ])resident  of  the  Oklahoma  Press 
Association.  O.  A.  Mitscher  was  at  the  annual  election  of  offi- 
cers of  the  Board  of  Trade  again  chosen  jiresident  and  other 
officers  were  re-elected.  Fifty  members  attended  the  annual 
meeting  and  by-laws  were  adojited. 

John  ^lilligan  was  hanged  for  nuirder  on  March  13tli, 
Sheriff  DeFord  and  deputies  olticiating.  DeFord  afterward 
brought  snit  against  the  county  for  $1(35,  the  amount  expended 
in  preparation  for  the  execution.  Milligan  brutally  murdered 
Gabe  and  Hannah  Clark  and  it  was  the  second  ghastly 
tragedy  of  the  yeai'.  His  execution  was  one  of  the  first  to 
take  place  in  the  Territory. 

Slow  progress  was  made  during  the  year  in  drilling  a  test 
well  for  oil  oi'  gas,  by  the  Oklahoma  City  Oil,  Coal  .t  Gas 
("ompany.  The  hole  reached  a  depth  of  750  feet  and  red  clay 
was  still  in  evidence.  This  was  discouraging,  for  the  cinn})any 
had  had  a  rep.u't  that  a  well  drilled  to  1,500  feet  at  Gainesville, 
Texas,  still  was  in  a  red-clav  formation. 


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1S96— FUSION  AND  FREE  81LYEK 

Pu'vious  political  campaigns,  which  liad  resulted  in  repub- 
lican victory  in  the  Territory  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  a  denn>- 
crat  ocetipied  the  AVhite  House,  were  like  preliminary  contests 
compared  to  that  of  1S96.  When  William  J.  Bryan  was 
nominated  by  the  democrats  in  Chicago  and  later  by  the 
poinilists,  and  when  the  i»opulists  of  Oklahoma  fused  witli 
the  democrats,  it  tired  repid)licans  with  a  fervor  they  had  not 
previously  demonstrated.  A  series  of  debates  on  the  }irin- 
cij^al  issue  of  the  campaign,  gold  standard  A'crsus  free  silver, 
enlivened  the  Territory  throughout,  and  the  campaign  ended 
with  great  rallies  in  Oklah(.mia  City.  The  first  of  these  was 
staged  by  the  democrats  and  populists  in  honor  of  J.  Y.  Calla- 
han, their  nominee  for  Congress,  and  the  second  by  rejiubli- 
cans  in  honor  of  Dennis  Flynn,  their  nominee. 

The  campaign  opened  with  uniirecedented  enthusiasm 
immediately  after  the  Chicago  convention.  Sanuud  ^Inrjihy, 
a  gold-standard  republican,  tired  a  challenge  to  Col.  J.  AV. 
Johnson,  a  free-silver  democrat,  to  engage  in  a  series  of  de- 
bates. These  hardly  had  begun  when  the  growing  tight  spirit 
inspired  other  speakers  to  sjjring  into  the  argumentative  fi-ay. 
Selwyn  Douglas,  a  local  repul)lican  leader  (d'  edui-ation.  tinin- 
iug  and  influence,  sent  a  challenge  to  .Vnios  (Jieen.  A.  C. 
Scott,  from  the  beginning  a  local  leader  in  educatinn,  jxilitics 
and  civics,  challenged  Thomas  0.  Chaml)ers,  a  lawyer  of  un- 
common aljility.  Colonel  Johnson,  already  Ijnrdened  witli  a 
load  of  disputative  responsibility,  was  challenged  l)y  IT.  II. 
Howard.  Each  challenge  was  almost  immediately  accepted. 
and  these  men  enlivened  a  sunnner  with  wisdom  and  wit  and 
oratory. 

A  statehood  convention  held  in  the  city  early  in  the  year 

was  virtually  a  tiasco.     It  split  over  the  (piestion  of  whether 

one  state  or  tW(.  shduld  be  created  out  <.f  the  Territories.    The 

j)roceedings   consisted   mainly  of   s})eeches,   and   among  the 

1G9 


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\         .'•■•■:      '     (.    -•:!/. r  til-'     ; 


170  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

speakers  was  Gen.  Powell  ('layton  of  Arkansas,  a  dis- 
tinguished soldier  and  politician.  T.  F.  Hensley,  an  editor 
of  El  Keno,  presided. 

A  free-homes  organization  was  perfected  early  in  the  year 
at  El  Reno  and  .\1.  L.  Turner  was  elected  treasurer.  The  con- 
vention was  attended  l)y  100  delegates  who  in  a  resolution 
assei'ted  that  it  was  an  injustice  for  honieseekers  to  pay  -$1-3,- 
000,000  to  the  (lovernnient  for  1:5,000,000  acres  of  land  then 
subject  or  soon  to  ])e  subject  to  homestead  entry. 

The  city  having  been  awarded  a  patent  by  the  (io\'ernment 
to  what  was  known  as  the  Hill  corner  at  Broadway'  and  (Irand 
Avenue,  Uistrict  Judge  John  H.  Burford  rendered  a  decision 
against  Hill  Brothers,  saloon  keepers  who  occU]>ied  the  corner. 
in  a  suit  in  which  they  sought  -$77,000  damages  from  the  city. 
One  last  step,  that  of  possession,  I'emained  to  l>e  taken  l)y  the 
city.  The  Hills  refused  to  vacate.  Wliereu].on  Mayor  J'.ut- 
ton  ordered  that  a  charge  <d'  selling  liquor  on  Sunday  l)e  jire- 
fcrred  against  them.  They  were  arrested  and  tlierel)y  ejected 
from  the  pr<iiterty  and  the  chief  of  ixdice  for  the  city  estab- 
lished the  nine  points  cf  law. 

Whit  M.  (irant  was  this  year  appointed  United  States 
commissioner  to  succeed  Col.  H.  "Wilkinson,  who  resigned, 
the  appointment  being  made  l\v  District  Judge  Scott.  ^Ir. 
Grant  was  installed  in  ofttce  Ai»ril  4th.  He  was  at  that  time 
vice  president  of  the  State  National  Bank,  and  had  been,  under 
the  first  term  of  President  Cleveland,  United  States  district 
attorney  in  Alaska. 

The  sjiring  uuuueiiial  camiiaign  in  a  measiu'e  foresluuhiwed 
the  more  acrimonious  one  that  succeeded  it.  Although  tliei'e 
had  ])een  no  serious  faults  or  ob\-ious  ounssions  during  the 
democratic  adnuuistratiou.  a  majority  of  eh'ctors  believed  that 
C.  G.  Jones  was  eiUitle(l  to  a  reward  for  his  earnest  efforts  in 
city  building  and  they  elected  liim  mayor  ovcm'  Kichard  A^■ey. 
the  democratic  uonuuee.  Pe]iublicans,  under  the  intluence  of 
that  quadi'ennially  reeui'ring  spell  of  jiarty  infatuation,  voted 
their  ticket  almost  soUdly,  and  the  \-irtor>-  was  assured  by 
diverted  demoi-rati<-  votes.  The  Fii'st  ward  cast  200  votes,  the 
Second  2-10  votes,  the  Third  ;!21  votes,  and  the  Fourth  ;'.08 
votes. 

Probablv  for  the  first  time  in  the  lu'ief  career  (d'  the  Tei'i'i- 


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CHARLKS  G.  JOXES 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIOilA  CITY  173 

tory  votes  oi  woineii  wci'l-  cast  in  this  election.  Seven  of  these 
votes  were  connted,  all  in  the  Fourth  ward.  Three  were  east 
by  white  W(.)men  and  four  by  negro  we>inen.  A  contest  was 
threatened  because  of  this,  and  a  hill  of  particulars  drawn  by 
democrats  recited  that  other  irreguhirities  luul  he-en  discov- 
ered. The  contest  pro^jaganda  was  not  popular,  luiwexer,  and 
Mr.  Jones  and  the  new  aldermen  were  in  due  time  installed  in 
oflEice  with  acclaim  of  well  wishes  from  virtually  the  whole 
electorate.  The  new  aldermen  were  Capt.  F.  8.  Goodrich,  F. 
S.  Rhodes,  Dr.  A.  L.  Dunn,  J.  S.  Lindsey,  E.  J.  Streeter, 
W.  M.  Warren,  Frank  Menton  and  J.  H.  Loughmiller.  The 
inaugural  speech  of  Mayor  Jones  was  well  received,  and  it 
was  prophetic  of  important  accomiilislunents  in  the  near 
future.  One  of  his  early  oHicial  acts  was  tlie  appointment  of 
A])e  Couch  as  chief  of  police.  Mr.  (.'ouch  had  hven  the  city's 
first  police  department  head  and  had  made  an  excellent  record. 

It  was  said  of  this  election  that  little  drinking  was  in  evi- 
dence and  that  only  a  few  drunken  men  were  seen  on  the 
streets.  The  fact  was  narrated  as  the  Ijeginning  of  a  new  era 
when  intoxicants  n<i  longer  would  exercise  a  baneful  inHuence 
over  the  ballot;  for  election  day  in  the  AVt'st  had  Ik-vu  a  da}-  of 
free  and  unlimited  distribution  of  whisky  and  l)eei".  and  its  ap- 
proach had  signaled  an  occasion  for  the  ine))riation  of  poor 
and  purchasable  and  the  carousal  of  the  influencing  rabble. 
Prior  to  this  election  saloon  keepers,  at  the  instance  of  the 
mayor,  had  removed  all  screens  from  the  front  windows  of 
their  shops. 

J.  R.  ^IcLain.  wlio  was  reelected  sui)erintendent  of  schools. 
announced  that  the  estimate  of  the  cost  of  education  fof  tliat 
year  was  s2().()00.  He  declared  prospects  were  briglit  for  a 
year  of  luuisual  educational  progress  and  jn-oplu'sied  tliat 
Oklahoma  City  soon  would  1)e  the  educational  center  of  the 
Territory. 

Valuations  of  taxaltle  pr(i])erty  in  the  city  that  year 
totalled  $1. 047.51  ;■),  while  county  valuations  outsijc  (,f  the  city 
totalled  .■pSTl,27;>.  The  assessoi^'s  report  showed  that  he  touud 
in  the  city  504  horses.  4(5  nudes.  lOS  cattle,  ?,  sheep.  7  hogs,  no 
dogs,  22:i  <-arria-es.  292  -old  watches,  :V^  silvei-  watches.  114 
pianos  and  household  furniture  valued  at  sl'O.OilO.  He  f<innd 
.$13, .100  ill  coins  in  I)anl<s  and  auioiiu'  taxtiavers. 


v-xl)  ';-  :■'  /--r;     .Ljnji-i.i  •  'i''^    V  ■    ,      -  f.. 

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174 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA   OITY 


Oklalioiiia  City  was  Iic^iniiiii^;-  to  cut  a  tiunre  in  the  base- 
ball world.  A  regular  team  was  uiaiutaiued  during  tlie  season 
and  souio  sensatioual  contests  were  had  Avitli  (luthrie.  El  Keiio 
and  other  ]ilaces.  Horace  Wilson,  who  prol)al)l\-  should  be 
credited  with  being  the  father  (d'  oi'ganizeil  ba<el)all  in  the 
city,  resigned  during  the  season  as  manager  (d'  the  city  dub 
and  was  succeeded  by  Tsher  ('ai-s<in. 

On  June  19th  the  l)e]'artnient  of  the  rnteri(U'  issued  a 
l)atent  to  the  tract  nf  land  known  as  Ma\"wood  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  the  sale  (d'  lot-;.  Tins  ende  1  litigation 
over  the  tract  that  lasted  for  four  .\-ears. 

Hardly  weie  the  cit\'  oihcials  warm  in  their  seats  in  the 
city  hall  that  had  been  taken  sti'ate,uicall.\-  f i  om  the  Hills  than 
Fraidv  ^Ic^Iaster,  eager  for  another  fi^ht,  served  written  no- 
tice on  the  mayiU'  and  council  that  he  was  owner  of  T)!)  by  140 
feet  o-\-erla}iitiug  the  Hill  coruer  and  that  he  had  in  his  pos- 
session a  deed  thereto.  He  asserted  that  the  i)roi»ei-ty  had 
been  taken  by  the  city  without  his  consent  oi-  i)ermission.  lie 
asked  that  a  Ixiard  of  api)raisers  1k;>  a]i])ointed  in  order  that 
the  pro])erty  unglit  he  legally  condennie<l  and  sold.  The  Mc- 
^[aster  instrument  appears  to  ha\-e  been  relegated  to  the  nui- 
iiicipal  archi\-es.  It  was  the  topic  of  much  official  and  unotfi- 
cial  discussion,  and  McMaster  was  countered  against  with 
charges  that  he  was  not  a  legal  resident  (d'  the  city.  Tliese  set 
forth,  with  i)urported  jiroof.  that  he  was  a  homesteader  in  the 
Pottowatonne  Indian  country,  and  they  con(dude(l  that  in  ad- 
dition to  his  being  a  noni'esideut.  he  had  sat  on  the  council 
Avithout  legal  right. 

In  Seiitemlier  a  charter  was  granted  to  the  Bank  (d'  Com- 
merce and  it  was  opcue(l  for  business  in  ( )ctol)(.-r,  at  llie  corner 
of  Kobinson  and  (Jraud  avenues.  The  directors  were  T.  W. 
Williamson.  Ridiard  Avy,  J.  ]].  Wheel. .r.  1).  W.  Hogan  and 
J.  AV.  Wheeler.  .1.  15.  Wheeler  was  elected  president  and  .Mr. 
Hogan  cashier.  Mr.  Houan  came  hei'e  from  Vul.;on  where 
he  had  be.'U  cashiei'  of  the  r.ank  of  Yukon. 

Judge  Ileni'y  W.  Scott,  who  was  a  district  judge  and  Avas 
also  an  associate  justi<-e  nf  the  Supreme  Court  of  tlu>  Terri- 
tory, resigned,  and  on  Scptembei-  L'4th  T^resideut  Cleveland 
appointed  dames  U.  Kcatoii.  then  (d'  Cuthi-ie.  to  HU  the 
vacancy.     Jud^e  Keaton  had  taken  an  active  part  in  Tei'ri- 


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!-J   !/l   .M'Miiiu     li.li/.  !,f,i.l    «i'»7/ >T- i-'itM-.  |(;iln(1)5HiI')H 'jlll"><  JiiUi 

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Tin:  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  (ITV  175 

torial  politics  siiico  the  TtTritdrv  was  organized.  He  luul  liecu 
a  delegate  to  the  (Jhieago  convention  and  after  the  noniinatiou 
of  Bryan  esponsed  the  canse  of  free  silver  and  s^joke  in  l)ehalf 
of  that  issue  and  tlie  }»aity  nominee  throimhoiit  tlu'  Territory. 
He  took  the  oath  of  ofii<-e,  whidi  was  adiiiiiiist.Trd  by  Chief 
Jnstice  Frank  J)ale,  on  ISepteniljer  2Stli.  and  came  at  i>nce  to 
Oklahoma  City  ti>  Ijcgin  his  service.  His  rece[ttion  by  ^layor 
Jones  and  a  committee  <tf  representative  citizens  was  an  un- 
usual e\-ent  of  that  Inisy  autuum  of  ]M)litifal  spcakinu'  and 
political  l)ushwhacking.  Hundreds  of  citizens  attended  an 
e^'enin,L;■  meeting-,  which  was  an  im])ressi\-e  sign  of  the  city's 
welcome.  Partici}iated  in  joyously  l)y  republicans,  the  un- 
qualilied  nonpartisan  warmth  of  it  seemed  to  presage  har- 
mony, a  virtue  l)orn  out  id'  two  yeai's  of  ill-temj)ered 
dissension. 

.M(.re  railroads  Ijccanie  the  slogan  -d'  the  I'.oard  of  Trade, 
which  that  year  reelected  O.  A.  Mitcher  president.  C< instruc- 
tion ol  the  Frisco  extensiiin  from  ^^apul])a.  uudei'  direction  of 
the  Oklahoma  Central  Ivailway  Com[iany.  was  a  virtual  <-er- 
tainty.  Jit  a  rousing  mass  meeting  fatlu'red  I)y  the  l>oard  of 
Trade  citizens  pledged  a  bonus  of  >'on.()(j;). 

Catholics  of  Oklahoma  City  and  other  re]»resi'ntati\e  citi- 
zens attended  an  observance  at  <  Juthrie.  Xo\-eniber  21st,  of  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  tin'  m-dinatiou  «d'  Uishop  .Meer- 
seheart.  The  ]\Iost  Reverend  Archbishoji  .lanssens  of  New 
Orleans  and  Bisliop  Dunn  (d'  Dallas  took  part  in  the  ceremo- 
nies. Twenty-five  years  later,  in  Oklahoma  City,  obserxauce 
of  the  tiftieth  anniversary  of  the  (U-dinatiou  of  Disliop 
Meersclieart  i-oustituted  the  chief  ridigious  event  of  the  year. 

Among  c(junty  oflictu's  cdected  tins  year  wei-e  .)(dui  U. 
Barrows,  sheriff;  A\'illiam  L.  Alexander,  treasuicr :  Asa  .Jones, 
judge:  Roliert  ( 'affrey,  clerk  ;  dames  .M(d\ee  ( )wen,  register  of 
deeds;  AV.  R.  Taylor,  attorney,  and  Alice  A'.  l>eitman,  sujter- 
intendent  (d'  jiublic  iustructiiai. 

Of  Judge  Keaton  a  writer  of  this  period  says:  "Judge 
Keaton  was  bom  December  10,  psiil,  in  Carter  County.  Ken- 
tu(d<y.  His  father,  who  passed  his  acti\'e  years  in  agricul- 
tural pursiuts  in  Kentucky,  served  in  the  rnjou  ai-uiy  during 
the  ('i\-il  war,  and  as  a  mendier  (d'  <ieneral  Sherjuan's  cmn- 
man<l  was  captured  at  the  siege  of   \'icksburg  and    foi-  six 


'       .;   .;,,•.,  -ill 


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176  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

months  held  prisuner.  With  the  oi'L;aiiizati(>n  of  the  (iraud 
Army  of  tlic  Repul)lic,  he  became  acti^'e  iu  its  mo\-ements, 
and  for  some  years  was  commander  of  his  iX)st. 

"Judye  James  R.  Keaton  was  given  his  preparatt>ry  edu- 
cation at  the  National  Xormal  University,  Lebanon,  Ohio, 
where  he  was  graduated  iu  ISSJ-  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Science,  foHowing  which  he  went  to  Texas  and  from  1884 
until  1887  M'as  principal  of  the  Hico  (Texas)  High  School. 
During  this  period  he  l^ecame  proprietor  and  editor  of  the 
Hico  Courier,  which  he  published  from  1886  until  1888,  and 
also,  in  connection  with  his  editnrial  duties  tdok  up  the  study 
of  law.  In  1888  lie  entered  Geoi-gx'town  University,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  and  in  1890  was  graduated  from  the  law  depart- 
ment thereof  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws,  shortly 
thereafter  being  admitted  to  the  l)ar  and  coming  to  Oklahoma. 
He  at  once  entered  upon  the  i)ractiee  of  his  profession  at 
Guthrie,  where  he  continued  until  1896.  then  coming  to  Okla- 
homa City  and  being  appointed  associate  justice  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  and  ex-of(icio  judge  of  the  Third  Judicial  Dis- 
trict of  Oklahoma  Territory.  Init  in  1898  resigned  to  become 
the  fusion  candidate  of  the  democratic  and  pojiulist  parties 
for  delegate  to  Congress.  Being  unsuccessful  in  his  cam- 
l^aign,  he  again  took  up  his  practice,  continuing  alone  until 
April,  1902.  when  he  became  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of 
Shartel,  Keaton  &  Wells,  at  Oklahoma  City.  This  firm  con- 
tinued until  Xovember.  1913,  when  ^Iv.  Shartel  retired  and 
the  style  of  Keaton,'  Wells  &  Johnston  was  adojited  and  thus 
continues. 

"Judge  Keaton  is  a  member  of  the  American  Bar  .Asso- 
ciation and  was,  for  several  years,  a  meml)er  of  ilie  general 
council  thereof,  which  is  the  directing  liody.  and  has  also  been 
a  member,  since  it  was  created,  in  1911.  of  tlie  connnittcc  to 
oppose  the  judicial  recall  of  the  association,  tins  liody  con- 
sisting of  one  meml)er  from  each  state.  Judge  Keaton  being 
selected  to  represent  the  State  of  Oklahoma.  Tic  also  holds 
membershi])  in  the  Oklahoma  State  Bar  Association.  Al- 
though his  ju'ofcssioual  and  official  duties  have  been  arduous 
and  exacting,  they  have  not  al)sorbed  his  energies  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  general  interests  of  tiie  counnnnitx'.  He  has 
hiterested  himself  in  the  development  of  Oklahoma  connncr- 


.(-     1, 

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.    ,.  .!    ,.'      -f  ■.iii-J 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITV  177 

cially,  industrially  and  educationally,  and  lias  varied  and  ex- 
tensive interests  in  the  oil  tields  and  other  industries. 

"  Judye  Keaton  was  married  July  17,  1890.  to  ^Irs.  I.ucille 
Johnston,  daughter  of  "William  R.  Davenport,  who  was  a 
native  of  Xorth  Carolina  and  consul  to  Mexico  for  the  ('on- 
federate  government  during-  the  Civil  war.  One  son  has  Ixmii 
born  to  Judge  and  Mrs.  Keaton:  Clarence,  who  is  a  resident 
of  Long  Beach,  California.  The  Keaton  home  is  situated  at 
Xo.  118  AVest  Sixth  Street.  Oklahoma  Citv." 


.  '        ■'  '11:       I-'.  >*     I'llf-    '-*  aO     jUi  ' 

[['     •  i  ..'.i  •■■;   ' '■.'■  F  ,ri  ■  '!■ ',-  i   'fru;m  .'.jr.'/  ; 


1897— THE  SEEKERS  ()E  PIE 

Tlie  inauguration  of  A\'illiani  Melvinloy  as  I'l-fsidrnt, 
Mareli  4tli  of  tliis  year,  wliicli  ended  four  years  of  deniocratie 
administration,  was  followed  by  a  lively  and  long-eontinued 
scramble  for  ajiiiointive  oifircs  in  the  Territory,  and  Okla- 
homa City  and  Guthrie  were  convenient  assembly  points  for 
place  seekers  and  their  busy  political  supporters.  The  United 
States  marshalship  seemed  to  l)e  most  desired  and  Oklahoma 
City  led  other  i)laees  in  the  number  of  candidates  for  that 
office. 

Capt.  C.  H.  DeFord.  former  sheriff  of  Oklahoma  County. 
and  VT.  F.  Harn  began  early  a  boml)ardment  of  the  national 
capital.  DeFord  had  the  sui)iJort  of  former  Delegate  Dennis 
Flynn,  who  had  been  favored  by  stanch  politicians  for  a]i- 
pointment  as  governor  and  who  had  been  defeati'il  by  ('assius 
M.  Barnes,  former  mayor  of  Cuthrie.  Judec<l  the  o^•er- 
.shadowing  contest  of  tli(^  early  ]»art  of  the  year  was  waged 
by  friends  of  these  men.  raid  the  Flynn-l>arnes  j)olitical  feud 
was  long  remembered  liy  veteran  part}'  workei's. 

Charges  against  DeFord  were  tiled  with  Pi'esideut  Mc- 
Kinley  by  Frank  C'ocliran  and  Frank  <iault  of  Oklahoma 
City.  They  related  to  the  collection  and  distriliuti.ni  of  re- 
wards accruing  from  the  capture  of  what  was  known  as  the 
Bly  gang  of  law-breakers.  These-  charges.  ho\v<'\-er.  were  h'S.s 
responsible  for  the  defeat  of  DeFord  than  the  fact  that  he 
was  a  resident  of  Oklahoma  City;  for  (iovernor  l>ariies.  who 
undoubtt'dly  had  major  influence  in  AA'ashingtou.  was  credited 
with  being  a  stalwart  Outhrie  })artisan.  Alread>'  the  matter 
of  a  permanent  ca]>ital  "was  a  potent  and  ever-present  issue 
between  the  rival  young  cities. 

When  it  was  ai)i»arent  that  neither  Del-'ord  nor  llai'u  was 

without  Washington  oflicial  favoi'.  the  name  of  A.  C.  S.-ott 

was  }U'esented  to  the  I'resident  for  consideration.     Al)ont  the 

Same  time  out  of  ( luthrie  came  the  annonucenieut  that  James 

179 


^/K'iJ'    i  J  r-  7 '4! 


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.1^      :   ,   ]:i-.I.i^ 


;.;^,  ..;.;;  ti  ,■•,.17/' 


180  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Cottin.^hani,  a  lawyer  of  tliat  place  and  a  iiiciulxT  uf  the 
tinu  of  Asp,  !Shai-t('l  *.\:  ( '<ittiuuliaiii,  luul  entered  aetixcly  into 
the  race  for  the  marshalship.  In  hiter  years  Mr.  (/ottin-liam 
became  a  resident  (d'  Oldaliouia  City  and  was  anion.u'  its  lead- 
iuj;-  hnvyers  and  eajdlalists.  Tlie  otlier  nienil)ers  (d'  the  tirni, 
Ileury  Asp  and  .John  Shartel.  also  in  dne  time  came  here,  the 
lattei'  to  become  and  remain  vice  [(resident  and  L:,eneral  man- 
ager of  the  Oklahoma  IJailway  Company. 

The  niarshalship  tight  was  ended  ()ctol>er  2")th  when 
President  ^IcKinley  announced  the  appointment  (d'  Harry 
Thompson  of  Enid.  Among  the  earliest  appointments  made 
by  Thompson  was  that  of  W.  1>.  Fossett  of  Kingfisher  as  Hrst  ; 

assistant.     Fossett  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  most  in-  [ 

trepid  law  enforcers  of  the  entire  Southwest  and  his  ex'ix-ri-  ' 

enees  would  fill  a  volume  as  interesting  as  ever  has  been 
written  about  men  of  the  frontier.  Twenty-four  years  later 
when  officials  of  the  city  were  wrestling  with  a  verital)le 
rampage  of  violations  of  the  A'olstead  Act  this  veteran  was 
again  called  into  ser\ice.  as  a  member  of  the  city's  police  force. 

Thompson's  first  field  deputies  were  Xed  E.  Sisson,  Wil- 
liam Tighlman  and  Heck  Thomas.    In  after  years  ^[r.  Sisson  [ 
was  clerk  of  the  United  States  Court  in  the  district  presided                  I 
over  by  Judge  F.  E.  Gillette  and  at  the  advent  of  statehood                  i 
lie  became  associatt'd  with  the  Xew  State  Tee  Com})any  in 
Oklahoma  City  ami  continued  there  until  his  death.     Tighl- 
man and  Thomas  already  had  acquiri'd  a  reputation  through- 
out both  Territories  as  kings  (d'  the  foes  of  outlawry.     Xo                   j 
In'aAcr  officials  ever  travt'led   the  trea(dierous  trails   of   the                  [ 
SoutliAvest,  and  the   I'ecords  they  made  are  worthy  <d'  ]>er-                   !' 
petuation  in  a  more  detailed  work  than  this.     Thomas  nu- 
grated  to  the  Kiowa  and  Comanche  Indian  country  after  it                  ^ 
was  o]>ened  to  settlement  in  1901  and  was  the  first  city  marshal 
of  Eawton.    Tighlman  later  settled  in  Chandler.    After  state- 
hood he  was  (dected  to  the  State   Senate   from  his  distiiet. 
resigidng  his  seal  after  a  ses-^iou  of  the  Eeuislature  to  become 
chi(d'  (d'  police  in  Oklahoma  City.     Here  theivafter  lie  matle  ;; 
his  iiermaneut  home.  I 

Oovernor  Fames  was  inaugurated  Afay  2()tli.  AuioiiL;- 
apjdicaids  f(.r  appoiidmeiit  h>  TerritiU'ial  offices  that  fiowed 
into  the  e.\ecuti\-e  office  durinu  the  succeeding  few  weeks  wer(- 


Iffi(':;!(!j1.  '      .  li.C   -  i,;"V  •■•>7/;,l   i 

iir   I  V.I,  ;j'  ^i;,;  ;^i,/'  \.'u:  ''.ti)  cuii. d /.)-,!<,»  j-..  ii()i)i;^'V(  n 'jnir.->'.)0 

.•r   •'  ■!  !j  '•;      •     'tluf-^   i  •,'■.([]..  '\\'V     .^f^('i,}/<!    ■)  l.iw;  >:'i'»7V/r;i  ■^.'it' 

111;     TI'  il   •    ■'    •>    .11(11   ■^'('^^  ff'  („.    ;;  .;.,f-  ;,.!'•.   .pi  >!.   I.il/;  (]*■'•.    /-Ifl-jH 

-I!;..:    ,.\    ,\)^   i/Us  ]i'"''' -'i-i^j     rM-f   r(;;;;  •        '.;,       ,ii"-yA    u  ■L'-i)1:\[ 

VM. :.,:,(:    I    '    ■■/|c.;'  ■..'  >  ■>:(  ■  ■!•,.  -'/'Ln 

rM--         :m,.      -   .   .^.1V/    |.,!Kr        :-:./      M.    ■'  '    l[,:r:    ,,;;,,       .,,('1' 

■  ^  :.  r   '■'.:  :■(.!  .;.(.  i.  ;;-..,.  ■■,::  ^.u^...      m.^:;  .>: .  ■y.i^w  rv 


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■^jiaaatAi^iaMifi-atiftfi?.!.  ri■^lA'alHialMl^^^:iiia 


J.  P.  ALLKX 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  183 

th().se  of  A.  C.  Scutt  and  the  Ive\-.  A.  V.  Francis  uf  Oklahonui 
City  for  superintciuk'nt  of  laiblic  instruction,  llcnry  Ovcr- 
liolsci-  for  treasurer,  and  Dr.  L.  H.  Buxton,  then  of  (Juthrie 
but  hiter  of  Oklah(ana  City,  ])r.  (i.  D.  .Munger  and  Dr.  F.  S. 
Denny,  both  of  Oklahoma  City,  for  superintendent  of  puldie 
health.  Col.  James  H.  Wheeler,  being-  a  democrat,  sent  in  his 
resignation  as  inspector  general  of  tlie  Oklahoma  Xatinnal 
Guard,  but  Goveruor  Barnes  is  said  to  lia\e  been  so  touched 
by  the  man's  frankness  and  sincerity  and  by  tlie  soldierly 
record  that  he  had  made  that  he  re(|uested  C.ilonel  \\'lieeler 
to  continue  in  office  if  to  do  so  would  not  l>e  Ijurdensome. 

The  free-silver  wing  (if  the  democratic  })ai'ty,  wliich  was 
comi>osed  of  a  large  percentage  of  the  membership  (d'  the 
party,  coalesced  with  the  populist  party  in  the  city  camiiaign 
this  year,  as  it  had  done  advantageously  the  ]irevious  year, 
and  elected  ^faj.  J.  P.  Allen  ma.vor  over  Henry  Overliolser, 
the  rei»ublicau  nominee.  Before  the  Ijegimiing  (d'  the  cam- 
paign, N.  H.  Sampler  resig-ned  as  chairman  of  the  democratic 
party  that  he  might  ))eeome  a  candidate  for  office  and  he  was 
succeeded  by  Dr.  C.  B.  Bradford.  The  connnittee  that  ef- 
fected an  agreement  with  the  po]:>ulists  was  composed  at  Fi-ank 
Harrah,  William  A.  Munv.  L.  G.  Hhids.  L.  M  J.ee  and  K.  S. 
Dyer. 

'  With  local  and  Territorial  ]io|itical  filibusters  fairly  well 
disposed  of  toward  the  end  of  the  year,  factional  differences 
were  relegated  in  the  organization  oi  a  renewed  tight  for 
statehood.  The  next  statehood  convention  was  to  be  held  at 
Kingfisher  on  January  13,  1898.  Calls  for  election  of  dele- 
gates were  made  by  Sidney  Clai'ke,  chairman  of  the  Statehood 
Executive  Connnittee:  Dan  W.  Peery.  re]")resentiiig  J.  J. 
OT\onrke,  chairman  of  the  Democratic  Central  ("'ommittee  of 
the  Territory:  T.  V.  T>averty.  chaii'inan  .d'  the  Po]udisf  < 'en- 
tral  Comnuttee  of  the  Territoi'y:  Virgil  Tlobl)s,  chairman  of 
the  Free  Silver  Central  Connnittee  <d'  the  Territory,  and 
William  Grimes,  chairman  of  the  Republican  Central  Com- 
mittee of  the  Territory. 

The  Chaml)er  of  Connnerce.  which  during  the  previous 
year  had  thrived  and  then  virtually  disintegrated,  was  suc- 
ceeded early  in  1897  by  an  oraanization  tii-st  Icuowu  as  the 
^Merchants  Club  and  later  as  the  City  Clul).    Its  president  was 


VTi   '   /.(.:. V    /  J. 


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184  TIIK  STORY  OF  oKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

^V.  W.  Sturm,  a  suhstaiitial  ami  fai'-seeiny  piuiu'cr  l)usinc.ss 
liiau.  F.  J.  JMcCiliiiclicy  ^va.s  elected  vice  president;  Fred 
Smith,  t^ecretary,  and  E.  II.  Cooke,  treasurer.  It  had  a  charter 
uienibershii)  of  thirty  and  the  roll  wass  increased  to  titty-two 
within  a  few  months.  Jts  charter  provided  that  no  gambling 
or  drinking  in  the  cluh  would  lie  tolerated.  The  club  did  some 
constructive  work  during  the  year.  Besides  assisting  in  se- 
curing a  land  bonus  reijuirt'd  to  guarantee  construction  of 
the  projected  railroad  from  Sajudpa,  it  contracted  for  the 
erection  of  a  large  cotton  compri'Ss.  it  lent  assistance  to  A.  S. 
Connellee  of  Eastland,  Texas,  who  announced  his  intention  of 
establishing  a  150-ljarrel  Hour  mill  and  a  grain  elevator  of 
100,000  bushels  cajiacity.  Connellee 's  project  resulted  in  the 
organization  of  the  Plansifter  Milling  Company,  which  in- 
stalled the  plant  and  remained  one  of  the  leading  tlour-making 
institutions  of  the  city. 

Early  in  the  year  Gen.  Henry  G.  Thomas,  one  of  the  city's 
leading  real  estate  o^Yners,  died.  His  funeral  was  attended 
by  a  large  number  of  persons,  for  he  was  generally  beloved. 
It  was  under  auspices  of  the  First  Regiment  of  the  Oklahoma 
National  Guard  headed  by  Governor  Eenfrow  and  his  stalf 
from  Guthrie.  The  body  was  sent  to  Portland,  Maine,  the 
birthplace  of  General  Thomas.  His  tp:ality  of  charitableness 
was  notal)le.  His  distrilnitionof  useful  gifts  to  the  poor  at 
Christmas  was  a  regularly  recurring  illustration  of  that 
quality. 

Anton  H.  Classen,  whose  name  afterward  was  a  household 
word  in  Oklahoma  City  Ix'cause  of  his  industi'ial  and  civic 
ac'coniplishmeiits,  was  this  year  appointed  receiver  of  the 
United  States  land  <.flice.  Another  notable  ap]iointment  of 
the  yeai'  was  that  of  Ma.j.  H.  1).  ^NIcKnight  of  Perry  as  register 
of  the  land  ofhce  at  Mangum.  ^lajor  ^IcKiught  had  been  a 
conu'ade  and  mess-mate  of  President  ^EcKinley  in  the  Union 
army.  ^IcKnight,  for  many  years  one  of  the  Territory's  most 
])rogressi\e  citizens,  was  transferred  to  the  land  ofhce  at  Law- 
ton  in  1901  and  served  through  the  great  land  rush  that  was 
the  equal  if  not  the  superior  of  agencies  of  that  ]>eriod  that 
eontril)uted  to  th(>  growth  of  Oklahoma  City  into  the  class  of 
leading  cities  nf  the  Sdiithwest. 

The   Cloyd  Lumlier   Company  i>f  Kansas,   controlled   l)y 


ilT 


II. Li     I     ..     i-,„ 


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•M.     Il'lil 


!  i. ,>■.;>  •..;■! 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  1S5 

S.  31.  (iloyd,  ill  1S97  purchased  tliL-  busiiifss  lu're  of  t\w  Ar- 
kansas J.iuiiljfv  Coiiipaiiy.  Mr.  ( iluyd  hccauii'  (»iic  of  the  city's 
best-ku(nvu  business  men.  In  J921  lie  jiurehased  an  interest 
in  a  dei)artnieiit  store  and  the  eit;ht-story  Imildinu  it  occupied 
and  the  concern  after  reorganization  hecaiiie  known  as  the 
Gloyd-IIalliburtoii  Company.  Lee  A^aiAVinkk',  who  had  been 
manager  for  the  Arkansas  Lunil)er  Company,  was  retained  as 
manager  for  the  Gh)yd  company.  Mr.  VanAVinkh'  developed 
into  business  leadership  and  once  later  was  mayor  of  the  city. 
A  committee  of  lot  owners  on  the  reservation  ])etitioned 
the  City  Council  to  order  a  reappraisement  of  unsold  lots  of 
that  tract,  so  that  prices  would  bo  reduced,  and  a  sale  of  tlu' 
lots.  It  asked  also  that  the  Choctaw  Railway  C(»nipany  l)e 
ordered  to  open  streets  cr(.).sscd  in  the  reservation.  The  com- 
mittee was  composed  of  W.  AV.  St<u'ni,  Sidney  Clarke,  Boston 
AVilson,  J.  8.  Jenkins  and  E.  Q.  Blakeney. 

It  was  on  October  1st  of  this  year  that  the  Jennings  In-oth- 
ers  and  their  associates  held  np  and  roblied  a  Rock  Island  jjas- 
senger  train  between  ^linco  and  Chickasha.  Xewspaiiers  re- 
ported a  few  days  later  that  Al  Jennings  passed  nonchalantly 
through  Oklahoma  City  and  said  in  an  interview  that  he  was 
in  Kansas  City  on  the  date  of  the  robbery.  The  newspapers 
reiJorted  also  that,  during  the  man  liunt,  in  wliich  Oklahoma 
City  officers  participated.  Jack  Love,  an  avowed  enemy  of  the 
Jennings  brothers,  barely  missed  being  assassinated  by  a  l»ul- 
let  fired  into  a  train  on  which  he  was  riding  to  Oklahoma  City. 
The  search  for  the  outlaws  I'ivaled  political  affairs  in  furnish- 
ing extraordinary  entertainment  and  food  for  gossip  during 
the  last  few  months  of  tlie  year. 

Some  political  api>ointmeiits  were  }-et  to  l)e  made,  (^hief 
among  them  of  local  concern  was  the  selection  of  a  successor 
to  Judge  J.  R.  Keatoii.  who  was  ex])ected  to  retire  l)ecause 
of  a  change  in  the  national  administration.  Contestants  for 
his  seat  were  B.  T.  Ilaiiier  and  B.  F.  Burwell.  boTli  of  whom 
later  receiwd  judgeshi])  apiiointnieiits.  F.  S.  ( iooili-idi,  who 
ocal  repulilicau  leader  and  a  member  of  tlie  City 
■;  api)oiiite(l  by  the  new  secivtary  of  the  interior 
if  special  agent  for  the  general  land  oni<-(\ 
-e  of  rMii^tructioii  of  tli(>  St.  Louis  e^-  Soiitliwcston, 
■om    Sai)ulpa    to    Oklahoma    City    hail    not    been 


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if  If;!-/.,, 'in    ,',r    ■(u^-/. 


186  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

vouchsafed  at  the  end  of  the  year  and  the  sul)jert  iiievitaljly 
had  become  entangled  in  the  contest  for  supremacy  between 
Okhihoma  City  and  (iuthrie.  (iitverudr  Barnes  again  in- 
curred tlie  wratli  of  Okhihoma  City  business  interests  \vh(.» 
charged  him  with  Ix'ing  connected  witli  what  was  IvUown  as 
tlie  Red  Fork  scheme  to  divert  tlie  projected  line  to  (iuthrie. 

An  industrial  project  of  that  year,  which  proved  to  l)e  a 
forerunner  of  a  rush  for  gold  that  was  supposed  to  have  been 
discovered  in  the  Wichita  ^fountains,  was  the  Navajo  Mining 
&  Townsite  Company,  a  local  concern  that  proposed  to  de^•elop 
mineral  i)roperties  in  Cireer  County.  The  directors  were 
Edward  Ij.  Dunn,  then  clerk  of  the  United  States  District 
Court  and  in  later  years  a  townsite  promoter  of  note  in  East- 
ern Oklalioma  oil  "ti.'lds.  AV.  J.  Gault,  J.  A.  Flattery,  J.  8. 
Lindsey,  Frank  McMasters,  C.  A.  Compton.  J.  H.  Deaty,  J.  M. 
Brogon  and  J.  R.  Blair. 

in  recent  preceding  years  the  milling  and  grain  business 
had  developed  into  an  important  industry  in  the  city.  "Great 
news!"  screamed  a  newsi)aper  one  day.  "Auotlier  ele\'ator 
to  locate  here."  AVirc  service  with  Chicago  had  been  estab- 
lished and  keen  competition  in  l)uying  had  developed.  A\'hat 
was  more  natural  therefore,  than  that  Oklahoma  City  slmuld 
emulate  Chicago  in  market  activities.  Speculators  in  (.'hi- 
cago  went  u]ion  a  Imll  spree  and  local  speculators  followed 
suit.  AVlieat  reached  the  unprecedented  price  for  the  <lecade 
of  52  cents  and  before  checking  influences  could  operate  a  top 
of  57  cents  was  attained  in  the  course  of  a  day.  In  mai'ket- 
ing  quarters  of  the  city  souu'  historically  wild  scenes  were 
enacted,  aiid  these  increased  like  a  panic  trend  next  da\-  when 
the  i)i-(Mluct  mounted  to  I'y  cents.  Many  losei's  droppt'd  out  at 
that  stage  and  they  and  others  m(U'(^  composedly  watched  the 
figures  mount  to  82  cents  and  then  to  the  highest  level  (d'  the 
flurry,  86  cents. 

The  fir.st  Xational  Bank  was  vohmtarily  li(piidated  this 
year,  the  principal  reason  being  that  J.  P.  Boyle,  the  cashier. 
found  it  necessary  to  take  his  family  to  a  different  climate. 
He  and  other  stockholders  bought  stock  in  the  State  Xational 
Bank  and  among  tlieni  was  Pat  Roden  who  took  a  jiositioii 
with  the  State  National  and  there  remained  for  many  years. 

Those  ^■i^■en  to  iuibi])ing.  who  in  recent  v(\n-s  mav  have 


Ill .) 


;      _       ' 

;1!'')  ■< 

,;;..,., 

■.'1    \>.:n 

(1  tj- .  i      J 

,:...           /ii"_> 

n,:iv 

,.!j...10 

i;i>[l  t      1 

■  ■   >.'v.n. 

■M 

(-'VI  (IJ) 

•     \\V-/i   ;r 

'■■\  I 

s:;-IMfM 

■■>        ■        , 

.   1    \'■.t■■^■.■[> 

.'1  f> 

THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  187 

suii'ei-ed  lUdi-f  or  less  of  tliiist  hrcause  of  the  Volstead  drouth 
and  who  find  comfort  and  }>leasnre  in  returniiiii,'  a^aui  and 
ag'ain  to  the  "liood  old  days,"  may  a[»i)reeiate  Ix'in^'  rennnded 
that  in  JS97  piod  home-made  hlaekhei'ry,  stra\vl)erry  ami 
,nrai)e  wine  eould  lie  had  at  Id  Siuith  liroadway.  '"It's  good 
for  that  tired  feelint;-,"  the  distillers  announced. 

A  pere,u'rinatin_ii-  jtarsou  this  year,  inspii'ed  hy  an  alnui- 
dance  (d'  the  fruits  of  freedom,  went  ahout  haptizinu'  con\erts 
and  perft)rmiug  marriage  ceremonies  and  accejiting  fees 
therefor.  His  mission  was  ended  and  the  source  of  his  income 
abolished  when  two  preachers  of  Oklahoma  City  made  star- 
tling announcement  throTigh  the  newspapers  that  the  parson 
was  without  anthority  to  perform  either  of  such  rights. 
Whether  any  considerable  moral  damage  was  done  records 
of  the  ])eriod  do  not  divulge. 


17,'' 

1(. 


1898— ox  TRAIL  OF  THP:  VOLUNTEERS 

In  the  rather  sanguinary  bieakfast-spL'll  affair  witli  ISimin 
this  year  OkhUiunia  City  was  not  cons])iciK«usly  represented, 
but  the  fault  was  not  witli  the  city.  Rather  it  was  with  tlie 
ninety  millions  whose  military  leaders  distributed  honors  only 
among  those  who  graded  u[>  to  the  strict  physical  lequirements 
of  army  standards. 

■  Company  C  of  the  Oklahoma  National  Guard  was  quar- 
tered here,  ('ai)t.  A.  AV.  Dunham  in  command.  On  his  staff 
were  Lieut.  1).  A.  Johnston  and  First  Sergeant  Guy  Black- 
welder.  On  April  26th,  after  the  declaration  of  war  against 
Spain,  Governor  Barnes  ordered  Captain  Dunhanr  to  send 
eight  of  his  fittest  men  for  examination  preparatory  to  active 
military  service.  The  men  selected  were  Luke  Chenoweth. 
Edward  Loughmiller,  Theodore  Folk,  Earl  Hammer,  W.  xi. 
Maupin,  Robert  Peyton,  David  ^^IcClure  and  Alexander  LI. 
Denham.  Governor  Barnes  looked  them  over,  declared  they 
were  too  young  for  service  and  ordered  them  liack  home. 
Whereupon  the  young  men,  in  the  bitterness  of  their  disap- 
pointment, for  the  moment  forgot  official  and  military 
etiquette  and  at  least  one  of  their  number,  speaking  the  senti- 
ment of  them  all.  lioldly  told  the  executive  he  didn't  know 
what  he  was  about. 

Adjt.-Gen.  Bert  C.  Orner  seemed  to  have  more  liberal 
views  with  reference  to  age  and  exjjerience,  for  on  ^lay  :)il  he 
requested  Captain  Dunham  to  dispatch  another  detachnieut 
of  ten  or  twenty  men  for  examination,  admonishing  the  cap- 
tain that  they  must  be  physically  sound.  This  second  detach- 
ment also  was  rejected,  ^leantime,  however,  eight  nieuibeis 
of  Com])any  C  apjdied  for  enlistment  in  a  cavalry  troop  and 
four  were  accepted.  The.se  were  Folk.  McClnre,  Lougliniiller 
and   Sidney  Johnson.     Later   Denham   c'nlisted   and   he   and 

Mcdure.  Folk  an<l  Lougliniiller  were  transferred  to  the  n'gi- 
ment  (.f  Rough  L'iders  organized  l)y  Theodore  Roosevelt. 
1811 


•<\  'I'T/   ).!()■/  [■rrVl' 

'/^  i  '      111     'ij'.U  _)jy 


j    liu;;-"  oily/  ji-.-d;     .j''!;!/; 


190  tup:  story  of  oklaiio-Ma  city 

Early  iii  the  ciilistinciit  period  the  secn'tavy  of  war  desig- 
nated Oklalidnia  City  as  a  troop  rendezvous  point.  AVhen 
there  had  l)een  some  reverses  to  American  troops  at  the  front 
and  it  ai^peared  prohal)le  that  a  second  call  for  \-olunteers 
would  have  to  be  made  hy  I'residcut  Ahdvinley,  (iovernor 
Barnes  requested  the  AN'ar  Deiuirtmeiit  to  }iermit  Oklahoma 
to  raise  a  reyinient  ot:  its  own  iu  case  there  was  a  second  call. 
Meantime  liattalion  odicer  api>ointments  in  further  prepara- 
tion for  service  were  made  hy  the  governor,  liov  lioffman 
was  commissioned  as  captajn  and  ^lacdregor  ])ouglas  of 
Oklahoma  City  as  second  lieutenant.  Dr.  John  Fee  was  made 
a  member  of  the  medical  examining  board.  Douglas  deidined 
the  api»oiutment,  saying  that  the  governor  had  not  jKUinitted 
the  recruiting  of  a  force  of  twenty-tive  men  by  these  officers, 
as  he  had  promised. 

O21  July  7th,  John  O.  Caslei',  an  unofficial  recruiting  officer, 
advertised  for  100  picked  men.  D.  A.  Johnston  and  E.  E. 
Cochran  joined  in  this  call.  Xini>  days  later  Johnston  and 
Cochran  announced  the  organization  nf  a  cavalry  troop,  with 
C(-ichran  as  temi)orary  ca])tain  and  Johnston  as  tem]iorary 
first  lieutenant.  Formal  annoiuiccuicut  of  the  organization 
of  the  ti'oop  was  made  to  the  governor  and  he  advised  that  he 
he  Would  make  an  effort  to  get  the  tro<i])  iuto  serxdce.  He 
failed,  liowever.  and  a  short  time  later  ihe  governor  of  South 
Carolina  wii'cd  Caidain  Cochran  that  he  lielieved  he  could  fill 
his  state  (|Uota  witli  the  Ol'clahonians. "  Ca]itain  Cochran  re- 
])lied  that  the  assignment  wordd  be  sati-^factoiw  ]>i'ovided  the 
troo].  would  not  lose  its  entity  in  the  Caroliua  ]irocess  of  ab- 
sori)tion.  This  exchange  of  telegrams  seeuis  to  have  been  the 
termination  (d'  efforts  (d'  the  (.)klahomaiis  to  get  a  chance  to 
fight  the  soldiei's  of  Spain. 

Oklahoma  ^dlunteers — there  was  a  considerable  muuber 
gathered  from  oxer  the  Territory — were  oi'dered  asseuibled  at 
Fort  AVhipple.  Arizona,  and  the  battalion  was  in  command  of 
^Faj.  John  F.  Stone,  .\niong  Oklahoma  < 'ity  men  found  ac- 
ceptable Ixd'ore  eidistments  <-losed  were  Fred  i'.aidcs,  Fred 
Xorris  and  William  Condon. 

Loughmiller,  McClure.  Deiiliam  and  Folk  took  part  in 
Rough  Kidei-  euua-'euients  and  .Mc('lure  wa<  wounded  in  the 
leg  in  the  h^.attle  (d'  Santiago.     His  return  home  on  Auuust 


/  ;  i   ^     ,"   >i!/.;j:'l<     -'^O'   /ii'MT-;    HIT' 

:■'     //       -;(ir  .q    --li- •■■.•)' ■'•'•;    -n'.ri;    J,   ;i,,   vti' ► 
it*.-ll  "1^1  t'-.  '-;■  '••"   lij.  .:  i-n:(/v  Mj  >iM>-r>-    n  -uiU 

<<r\  ■■,.,;  )       .   Hit.  .•!   •    •      M  .[.;,--.-('l      7(1    '.].(, in      ir'    r.I    • 


i,,'V    ■;:      i;;f;j;;/  >    <  -t.)    -i'  •  li)  I 


i;  'Ip'  :;!, 

..,■!■,  ..fir 

•  'jiti;,!. 

!■:   >■:,■.   -wit 

1  !!'>■('  [     1  . 

^I~  I'lX 


KlrHAl;i)  I  AFFKi;V 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLALlO.MA  LITV  193 

lOtli  was  au  occasion  of  patriotic  rejoicing,  and  for  some 
weeks,  as  runs  tlie  American  tigliting  blood,  lie  was  the  hero 
of  every  group  that  gathered  to  hear  him  relate  o^er  and  over 
again  his  wonderful  experiences  as  a  tighting  man.  1  )enham 
and  Folk  returned  on  September  18th  and  Louglnniller.  who 
had  been  a  faithful  war  correspondent  for  his  relati\es  and 
friends,  arrived  two  days  later.  Patriotic  receptinns  were 
given  them. 

Industrial  enterprises  continued  to  rap  on  the  city  gates 
and  early  in  this  year  the  City  Club  again  made  resolutions 
concerning  greater  accomplishments.  The  new  board  of  di- 
rectors consisted  of  J.  :\L  Owen.  J.  H.  Wheeler,  A.  L.  Frick, 

B.  M.  Dilley,  Henry  Overholser  and  F.  \V.  Smith.  .Mr.  Dilley 
was  elected  president ;  ^Ir.  AVheelei^,  tirst  vice  president ;  Mr. 
Overholser,  second  \ice  ^iresident,  and  F.  AV.  Smith,  secre- 
tary-treasurer. An  executive  board  was  chosen,  consisting  of 
E.  H.  Cooke,  W.  W.  Storm,  F.  J.  :McGlinchey,  E.  J.  Streeter 
and  AV.  E.  Harper. 

The  club  had  occasion  for  rejoicing — and  its  expressive 
feeling  spread  radiantly  among  the  masses — when  President 

C.  0.  Jones  of  the  St.  Louis  cV-  Southwestern  Pailw;iy  Com- 
pany telegraplied  from  St.  Louis  that  a  contract  had  been 
signed  for  construction  of  the  road  from  Sapul]ia  to  Oklahoma 
City.  This  hap]K'ned  on  January  2oth  and  the  coutract  i)ro- 
vided  that  grading  should  be  started  bv  Feliruarv  loth  and 


that  it  s 

hou 

Id  be  c. 

mi)leted  In 

-  August 

1st. 

:Pr( 

sidellt 

Dilley 

and  a  C( 

nm 

ittee  pi 
uiouncc 

■ovid(''d   foi 

meiit  was 

Mr.  Jones  a  thou 
uade  at  about  this 

■nstrat 
time  tl 

i\e  re- 

ception. 

Ai 

lat  the 

St.  Loui 

s  c^- 

San  F 

■ancisco  P 

lilway  < 

omp; 

uiv  1 

lad  aui 

eed  t(> 

operate 

an(' 

eveiiti 

allv  as>uii 

e  owner 

.llip 

d.-  tl 

e  road 

.     Tlu- 

coming  ( 

d't 

le  Fris 

•<.,  the  thir 

1  railroa 

d  to  ( 

•liter 

the  cit 

y.  was 

among  t 

.(■1 

orteiit. 

us  events ( 

f  the  Hrs 

t  ten 

year 

S.,f  tlu 

city's 

existeiK' 

Ash 

ull 

cell  tlu 

case  when 

the  Clio 

■taw 

road 

was  a- 

sured. 

railroad 

pr 

■  motions    liecame 

populai 

.      H 

ardl^ 

-    had 

luiblic 

rejoicing  ce 

ised  wl 

leii  the  City  Club  1 

a<l  n 

iti<-e 

that  a 

lother 

railroad 

wa 

s  in  pr. 

mise.     A  ( 

orpitrati 

>n  h; 

d  be 

ii  org; 

uized. 

known  ; 

s  tl 

le   X.'W 

Orleans  cV- 

Oklalioi 

iia  C 

ty  r 

ailwa.x 

Cnlll- 

l)any,    tl 

int 

;iinii.uiiced    its    i> 

irpuM'    , 

f     i-o 

istn 

(■ting 

•1    line 

thnnmh 

th( 

city  with  such  ol 

Mectives 

tn  tl 

(•    Sn 

ith  as 

Tisho- 

'.  .         !!.•   ,1/.,.  ..I  .,,,    .-,  ,„  :,J1  qtr.  i:. -r;,.-;'^  i.- 

•••    ;v:   ;!        .  :■.;•  '  ■'  ■    "■")     ■>-/'"■(,;    ,-'h(!'K!'f 

III'  ' ;  ,;  ^   i 

;   ..,'.1      I  'I'  I    Vj!   >      r,       ,   ;■    .'    -::  Ij     'f   v:\i:  ,  j)!  /, 


1.:  ;l 


■■a,;<i 


194  THE  STORY  OK  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY 

niiiigo  luid  SliLTUiaii,  Texas,  aud  tu  the  iiurtli  as  Iviugtisher  and 
Euid.  It  had  a  capital  stock  uf  $4,000,00U  aud  the  board  of 
directors  consisted  of  (_'.  G.  Jones.  D.  C.  Lewis,  Henry  Over- 
holser,  S.  A.  Steward  and  former  CJoveruor  C.  AV.  Renfrow. 

Suit  against  the  city  for  sio.oou  damages  was  tiled  this 
year  by  Fraidv  McAhister  who  previously  had  demanded  pos- 
session of  a  tract  of  land  extending  thirty-six  feet  south  into 
■Grand  Avenue  at  Bi'oadway.  Nonconformity  of  two  townsite 
surveys  gave  rise  to  the  controversy,  ^ic^viaster  had  been  re- 
fused a  deed  by  the  townsite  board  and  lie  sought  relief 
through  the  District  Court  by  mandanms  proceeding.  The 
court  ordered  the  deed  executed  by  J.  H.  McCartney,  presi- 
dent of  the  board,  and  he  refused  to  obey  the  mandate  of  the 
court.  The  city  had  sought  to  end  the  controversy  by  giving 
McMaster  title  to  some  lots  on  Robinson  Avenue,  opposite  the 
courthouse,  but  was  unable  to  deliver  the  lots  liecause  of  their 
having  been  sold  by  the  townsite  board. 

It  undoubtedly  was  the  rapid  growth  of  Oklahoma  City 
that  inspired  Guthrie  to  have  a  bill  introduced  in  Congress 
providing  that  that  city  should  be  designated  as  the  perma- 
nent capital  of  tlie  Territory.  On  February  6th  a  mass  meet- 
ing held  in  Oklahoma  (.'ity,  presided  over  by  G.  W.  R.  Chinn, 
adopted  resolutions  that  were  sent  to  Congress  protesting 
against  passage  of  the  Ijill.  The  resolutions  were  drawn  by 
a  committee  consisting  of  Sidney  Clarke,  Henry  Overholser 
and  Senat(U'  Johnson.  Support  of  this  opposition  was  asked 
of  other  ambititms  towns  of  the  Territory  aud  fighting  propa- 
ganda was  furnislied  them  Ijy  a  conunitteo  consisting  of  Mayor 
Allen,  E.  J.  Streeter  and  r".  Q.  Elakcney. 

Judge  John  H.  Bnrford,  who  in  after  years  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Oklahoma  TMty.  was  this  year  appointed  chief  justice 
of  the  Oklahoma  Supiemc  Court,  su(N--eeding  Justice  Frank 
Dale,  and  Judge  Hazard  T.  Ilainer  was  appointed  associate 
justice  to  succeed  .lustice  J.  R.  Keaton.  AV.  F.  Harn  was 
selected  as  cleik  of  tlie  court  of  Justice  Hainer.  The  Ignited 
States  attorney  general  called  for  the  resignations  of  Thomas 
]\rcArecliau  as  district  attni-ney  and  Roy  Hoffman,  his  assist- 
ant, annninicinu'  that  it  was  his  intention  of  apj^nintiim-  t("i 
thos.-  pla<-c^  ];.  S.  .\|.-<iiiiie  <,f  Pawnee  and  J.  ^V.  Scthorn  of 
Guthrie. 


ii.   i/H.    u-   i:\^yy'  AW' 


-•I'.vU  /•ii^.oli  ,  :  -.-..i  ;>  .'1  .-.-..!    ')'■■'    : 

'  riiiiMjJ     '//      _)    1  til  :'  •/:•;  ' 


Jj     .].         '    I 


[1  r.MT.  '—1  1, 


.-     -.:,■,•.     .r.ljtifrf.; 
)    -■'..i-TMi!'!    .     '■   :    ;■ 


1   ,.!.;;/. 


/I    .'I    M,l, 


■il    'lu    Ax    .1   ,    -,.    .'  .I-m1'!^ 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  1\)3 

The  cU'iiiucratie  euiinty  convention  in  June,  presided  over 
by  Ja.sper  Sii^es,  passed  a  resolution  favoring  the  nomination 
(jf  Judge  Keaton  for  delegate  to  ('ongress.  .judge  Keaton 
had  been  iJ<»i»idar  on  the  bt'neh  and  was  an  cxcidlcnt  eani- 
Ijaigner  and  these  were  attributes  in  his  fa\-or  when  the  Ter- 
ritorial convention  was  held  duly  loth.  This  was  a  joint  con- 
vention of  democrats  and  iioi)ulists.  ]»resided  over  by  Judge 
Robert  Xeif,  and  it  was  chai'acterized  by  a  hmg  doadlnck  dur- 
ing the  balloting.  The  leading  candidates  were  Keaton  aiid 
Delegate  J.  Y.  Callahan.  On  the  tiual  ballot  Keaton  received 
2tt2  votes  and  Callahan  78.  A  heated  campaign  ensued  be- 
tween Keaton  and  Dennis  Flymi,  the  rei)ul)lican  nominee,  aud 
the  Oklahoma  City  Keaton  Clul^  took  a  conspicuous  part.  Dr. 
Delos  Walker  was  president  of  this  elub,  A\  H.  Hardoastlc 
was  vice  president,  J<Jui  H.  AVright  was  secretary,  and  R.  G. 
Hays  was  treasurer. 

Flynn  was  nominated  in  a  convention  held  at  El  Ren(\ 
Oklahoma  City  delegates  supported  C.  G.  Jones  for  the  nnnii- 
nation,  but  the  revival  of  the  old  animosity  lietween  Flymi 
and  Governor  Barnes  and  the  bitter  fight  between  the  factions 
supi^orting  them,  ^u'esaged  at  the  outset  of  the  conventinii, 
probably  was  resjjonsible  for  (Oklahoma  City  support  going  to 
Flyim.  Flynn  had  gone  into  the  convention  pledged  not  to  ho 
a  candidate  and  he  offered  vigorous  ]n"otest  when  delegates 
framed  the  first  oi'ganization  in  his  Ixdialf.  His  final  woi'd 
was  that  he  would  not  consent  to  his  name  being  ]iresented 
unless  his  friends  made  satisfactory  negotiations  with  can- 
didates of  the  anti-Barnes  group,  and  this  a])iieai-s  to  have 
been  acc(ini])lished,  in  a  measure  at  least.  Defeat  nf  the 
Barnes  grou]>  caused  the  governor  to  make  o\-ertures  for  a 
reconciliation.  Flynn  was  agi'cealjle  and  the  two  are  said  to 
have  bni-ied  the  hatchet. 

Flynn  was  elected  l)y  a  substantial  majorit.x'.  Democrats 
and  ]'e]iul)licans  divided  honors  in  Oklahoma  County.  Sidney 
Clarke,  democrat,  was  sent  to  the  Territorial  Council  and  ('. 
G.  Jones,  re])ul)lican,  won  a  seat  in  the  House  of  Re])resenta- 
tives.  C.  "W.  Olmstead,  also  a  re]>ulilican.  was  tli(^  other 
reiuvsentative 'elected.  < 'ouuty  oflicers  elc-ted  weiv  of  the 
democratic-poi»ulist  fusinn  brand,  'i'liey  were  W.  R.  Taylnr, 
countv  attornev;  Richard  ( 'affre\-,  count\-  cleik :  ('.  J.  Thrown, 


■ic;  Mi:t 


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19G  THE  STOIIV  UK  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

register  of  deeds;  Asa  Jones.  i)i'()i)atc  jud.m':  W.  I..  Alexander, 
eoimty  treasurer,  and  Alice  IJcitiuaii,  cninity  siqicrintfiuleut 
of  schools.  Henry  Overholser,  repuMican.  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  hoard  of  county  connnissioners. 

Clerk  (Jatt'rt'y  had  heeu  in  office  hut  a  short  time  when  he 
was  sent  to  jail  in  contempt  td'  court  for  j-efusing  to  ohey  the 
order  of  the  com-t  to  make  certain  increases  in  taxes.  Judge 
John  II.  IJurford.  who  sentenced  him,  grantt-d  his  petition 
foi-  an  appeal  to  the  United  States  Snju-enie  Court  hut  de- 
clined to  admit  him  to  hail  i»ending  a  (h'cision  hy  tlu'  higher 
tribunal.  Judge  Keaton,  his  attorney,  perfected  the  appeal 
in  ^'\^ishington  hut  the  Su})reme  Court  also  refused  to  admit 
Caffrey  to  bail.  Early  in  the  next  year,  while  he  was  yet  in 
jail,  the  Teri-itm-ial  SuiU'enie  Court  issued  a  couunitnient  for 
him  in  a  second  contemiit  ca>e  based  on  his  refusal  to  extend 
the  1897  Ixiard  (d'  e(]Ualization  valuation  and  assessment 
figures  upon  the  county  books.  Caffre\'  is  said  to  have  been 
amused  by  this  action  and  to  have  sent  word  to  the  court  that 
he  was  just  as  far  in  jail  at  that  time  as  it  was  }>osdble  for 
him  to  be.  l^ditics  had  a  hand  in  the  affair,  as  was  evidenced 
in  January  (.f  b^99  when  what  wa^  known  as  a  taxpayers" 
organization  called  at  the  jail  and  pi'esented  the  ch'rk  with 
an  ebony  gold-headed  cane.  The  })resentation  si>eech  was 
made  by  D.  ( '.  Lewis. 

Some  interi'sting  e\"ents  of  the  year  were  an  excui'sion  to 
St.  Louis  participated  in  by  several  hundred  Oklahoma  City 
men  and  their  entertainment  by  the  Mayor  uf  St.  Louis  and 
othe]'  distiimuisheil  citizens:  the  ap]ilication  of  John  Shartel 
foi-  a  sti'eet  railway  fianchi>e.  succeeded  by  announcement  of 
the  city  conucil  that  he  would  have  to  -narantee  that  no  Imrse- 
drawn  cars  would  be  opei'ateil :  the  setll-'Uient  of  the  city's 
contro\-ersy  with  Hill  over  the  city  hall  site  by  an  agreement 
to  pay  Hill  .-^d.OOd:  tlie  oi-ganizatiou  (d'  a  Tendtorial  associa- 
tion of  liipior  dealers  with  a  charter  mendiei-ship  of  se\-ent}'; 
the  a])]»ointnient  by  C.ivei-nor  Lames  of  L.  F.  X\hart.  su]ier- 
inteiident  of  city  schonls.  as  a  member  (d'  the  Territorial  L.oar<l 
of  l':ducation;  the  (n'-anizatiou  nf  the  Federation  (d'  Women's 
Clubs  of  Oklahoma  and  Indian  l\'rritories  and  the  electi-m 
of  .Mrs.  Selwyn  Doii-las  a>  president:  tlie  resignation  of  \).  F. 
Stiles  as  colonel  (d'  the  First  K'egiment  of  the  Oklalioma  Xa- 


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THE  STUKV  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  19!) 

tional  Ouai'd.  the  result  i»f  an  ineideiit  in  (iutlirie  in  which 
Colonel  Stile.s  and  some  other  ot'ticers  were  reputed  to  have 
been  "egged";  the  organization  of  a  lodge  of  the  Benevolent 
and  Pj-otective  Order  of  Elks,  of  which  T.  A.  Connor  was 
elected  exalted  ruler;  and  the  purchase  by  L.  F.  Kramer  of 
twenty  aei-cs  of  land,  at  a  cost  of  >f200  per  acre,  situated  north 
of  the  Choctaw  railroad  on  the  Higgins  homestead,  to  be  used 
for  racing  and  j^ark  purposes. 


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1899— COUXCIL  VERSUS  C'OXORESS 

Scenes  quite  like  tliose  of  the  opeiiiiiii'  year  ui-dwini;  out  of 
bouudarv  disi)utcs  were  euaeted  this  year  when  the  Cit}'  Coun- 
cil, the  Santa  Fe  Raihvay  Conii)any  and  the  ('hoctaw,  Okla- 
homa &  (Julf  Railway  ('ompauy  became  involved  in  a  con- 
troversy over  a  narrow  strip  of  land  parallelinu'  the  Santa 
Fe  right  of  way  between  ^fain  Street  and  (ii'and  A^•enue. 
Trouble  threatened  to  lead  to  tragedy  but  was  checked  hy 
eomisel  and  court  short  of  that  termination. 

In  order  that  it  might  be  properly  equipped  with  switch- 
ing and  transfer  facilities,  the  Choctaw.  Oklahoma  .^-  (iulf 
secured  the  passage  of  a  bill  by  Congress  permitting  it  to  lay 
a  side  track  on  a  strip  of  ground  ten  feet  wide  near  the  Santa 
Fe  tracks  between  the  two  prin<-iiial  liusiness  thoroughfares. 
^leantinie  the  Santa  Fe.  desiring  to  utilize  the  same  area  for 
a  siding,  received  })ermission  from  the  City  ('ouncil,  through 
emergency  ordinance,  to  install  a  track.  Men  and  matei'ial 
being  held  in  readiness,  the  company  i)roceeded.  on  the  same 
night  the  ordinance  was  parsed,  to  lay  the  ties  and  steel. 

By  \-irtue  ni  higher  authority,  since  the  art'a  was  yet  sub- 
ject to  Some  nicasui'C  of  control  Ity  the  (iovernment.  the  Choc- 
taw— the  name  by  which  the  company  was  designated  fi'oni 
its  inception — laid  a  siding  o^■er  at  least  a  i^ai-t  of  the  disiuited 
area.  This  being  in  violation  of  the  city  ordinance.  Street 
Connnissioner  Warren  marshale(l  a  s(|uad  of  employes  and 
ordered  that  the  Choctaw  track  l)e  removed.  His  nu'U  set  to 
work  and  had  part  of  tlu'  tracjc  in  disorder  wh.en  an  oClicer 
of  the  coui't  of  Judge  Burwell  arriwd  Ix'ai'ing  an  injunction 
of  the  court  forbidding  ex(M'Ution  of  the  oi'der  of  city  officials. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  night  and  the  next  day  and 
the  next  night  armed  guards  were  stationed  at  tlic  seme  of 
Controversy,  representing  tin'  cit>-  and  the  I'ailroad  com- 
panies. A  later  o]iiiuon  liy  Judge  15urwell  held  that  the  strip 
•201 


!   .  7      !    :.: 


202  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

was  the  property  of  the  Santa  Fe  and  the  eity  was  ordered  to 
abstain  from  in  any  way  exercising'  control  over  it. 

The  controversy  over  the  Hi,m;ins  homestead,  which  liad 
become  a  west-side  acklition  to  {he  city,  was  renewed  January 
7th  when  J.  C.  Adams,  who  had  couipU'ted  a  term  in  the  Fed- 
eral penitentiary  at  Leavenworth  for  the  shootin^^-  of  C'ai»tain 
Couch,  instituted  suit  for  title  to  the  land.  Formerly  the  land 
office  had  approved  the  entry  of  R.  W.  Hig.dns  and  rejected 
that  of  Adams.  Adams  claimed  that  at  this  time  the  land  was 
worth  $40,000.  Defendants  in  the  suit  were  R.  W.  Higgins. 
^y.  C.  Eenfrow,  Luhi  Carey,  L.  F.  Kramer,  J.  L.  Brown, 
Estella  Xewell,  0.  S.  Rnssell,  C\iithia  E.  Couch  and  Anna 
tenner. 

Arrangements  were  made  this  year  for  the  issuance  of 
bonds  witli  whicli  to  purchase  a  county  courthouse.  The 
county  commissioners  entered  into  a  contract,  which  they  ap- 
peared to  have  valued  as  more  or  less  tentative,  to  sell  an  issue 
of  $22,000  of  bonds  to  R.  J.  Edwards,  provided  Edwards  coidd 
secure  the  enactment  of  a  law  liy  the  Legislature  legalizing  the 
issue.  Subsequently  ^I.  L.  Turner  presented  to  the  commis- 
sioners a  Contract  to  l^uy  the  county's  bonds  and  make  them 
payable  in  Xew  York  without  the  necessity  of  legislative  ac- 
tion. The  commissioners  rescinded  the  contract  with  Edwards 
and  accepted  that  of  Turner,  which  provided  for  his  Iniying 
bonds  in  the  total  sum  of  $77,600. 

Lee  YauAVinkle,  the  democratic  nominee  for  Mayor  in  the 
Ai>ril  ele<-tion,  defeated  Henry  Overholser,  the  repuldican 
nonunee,  by  seventy-two  votes.  The  campaign  invoh'ing 
the  election  of  a  chief  of  iiolice  Avas  no  less  exciting  than  the 
race  for  mayor,  for  ('apt.  C.  IT.  DeFord,  who  had  held  that 
position,  again  souglit  th(>  office,  as  the  republican  iKiminee. 
He  was  defeated  by  \V.  P..  Ileiidrey  by  2^8  majority.  John 
H.  Wright  was  el(M-ted  city  attorney  and  "W.  D.  Oault  city 
treasui'er.  W.  J.  l\'ttei',  who  the  })revious  year  resigned  as 
a  meml)er  of  the  City  ('<tunci!  because  of  luning  moved  out 
of  the  ward  from  -which  he  was  electeil,  was  reelected  to  niem- 
bershi]),  defeating  Dr.  K.  Witteu,  democratic  nominee,  by  a 
vote  of  7:*.  to  24.  W.  -M.  Joik's  was  tlie  only  other  repul)lican 
elected.     Other  democrats  ek'cted  to  the  council  were  J.  IT. 


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LEE  VAXWIXKLE 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  205 

McCartney.  I^dward  L.  Diniii.  W.  A.  lludrlsoii.  W.  T.  i'aiker 
and  J.  S.  Morrow. 

Selection  of  a  site  for  the  pulilic  lihrary  was  made  tliis 
year,  after  a  li\ely  tilt  between  a(hdeati's  of  the  se\eral  loca- 
tions offered.  Mrs.  Sidwyn  DonL^las,  a  eliih  leader  of  local 
23ronnncnce  and  i>resident  of  the  'J'erritorial  Fi'deration  of 
AVomen's  Clnhs.  ajijieared  at  the  nieetiny  caUed  to  select  the 
site  in  behalf  of  those  who  chose  a  corner  at  the  intersection 
of  Main  Street  and  Walker  Avenue.  Otliers  present  nryed 
sites  at  California  and  Eol)inson  and  at  Third  and  iiol)ins<>n. 
The  latter  was  sel(>cted.  ^Irs.  Douglas  had  made  such  an  al)le 
presentation  of  her  claims  that  after  the  selection  was  made 
Capt.  D.  F.  Stiles  publicly  commended  her  and  called  upon 
those  present  to  yi\e  three  cheers  in  her  honnr.  The  connnit- 
tee  of  the  council  having  the  lila-ary  matter  in  charge  was  ci  im- 
posed of  J.  H.  Hudelson,  W.  J.  Pettee  antl  May.r  \'an 
Winkle. 

The  first  I'eunion  of  Roosevelt's  Rough  Riders  was  held 
this  yea]'  in  Las  Vegas,  X.  ^I..  and  Oklahoma  City  in  that 
convention  was  chosen  as  the  place  for  holding  the  reunion 
of  3900.  .Vccoi'diugly  in  the  autumn  preliminary  prepara- 
tions for  entertainment  were  started.  A  Rough  liitlei's"  Re- 
union Association  w;is  organizi'd.  of  which  Anton  H.  Classen 
was  elected  president;  E.  AV.  ,lolnison,  \ic<'  ]U'esident;  Clifton 
George,  secretary,  and  Se}'mour  ( ".  lleyman.  treasurer.  Di- 
rectors were  chosen  at  large  fi'om  over  the  Territ(U'\-  and 
an  ong  them  were  ('a])t.  Roy  Hoffman  of  Chandler  anil  Ed- 
ward L.  Dunn  and  l-'hner  K.  Drown  of  Olciahoma  Cit.w 

A  rather  extraordinary  event  of  the  year  was  the  adoption 
of  an  ordinance  by  the  City  Council  annulling  the  franchise 
the  city  had  gi'anted  to  D.  11.  Sc,,tt  and  the  Oklahoma  City 
Waterworl<s  Company.  This  followed  a  I'cpiut  of  a  couunit- 
tee  of  the  coum-il  which  charged  the  conqiany  with  noncom- 
pliance with  its  (Mtutract.  Tt  was  found  that  pressure  in  the 
mains  was  too  l<iw  to  assure  protection  against  tii-e,  that  the 
conijiany's  e(|uipment  was  insufhcient,  and  that  the  company 
had  ignoi-ed  tlie  ])ublic's  interests  to  such  an  extent  that  pub- 
lic health  was  hazarded  and  ]>roperty  sultjected  to  dangei-  of 
destruction  by  tire. 

Thre(^  strei't  railway  franchises  were  a]iplied   for  during 


,:;  A 


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206  THE  STOKV  OF  OKLAHo.MA  CITY 

the  year.  The  tirst  jirnjxisition  was  sul)uiitted  1)\'  J.  A.  Ch\rk 
of  New  Ydi-k,  the  secoiul  hy  Henry  ()verh..lsrr  of  Oldahdina 
City,  who  also  prniuised  an  ekM-tric-liuht  service,  and  the  third 
by  Antiin  II.  ( 'lassen  and  associates.  The  ( "hissen  proposition 
iu  substance  was  that  the  franchise  should  rtui  for  twenty-one 
years,  that  a  niininiuni  (d'  four  miles  of  track  would  he  laid  the 
first  year,  two  miles  of  which  would  he  conij)leted  within  six 
months,  that  construction  should  Ije  started  within  ninety 
days,  that  the  fare  should  be  ')  cents,  and  that  the  city  should 
receive  certain  i)ercenta,ucs  of  earnini;s  of  the  company  based 
on  receipts  ran-inii'  from  .fL'U.OOO  to  ^50,000. 

Two  new  railroad  projects  appeared  this  year.  C.  B. 
Ames,  an  astute  young-  lawyer  of  Mississippi,  who  recently 
had  eonie  west  and  been  made  president  of  the  Southwestern 
Cottt)n  Seed  Oil  ('omi>an\-,  was  one  of  the  chief  jironioters  of 
one  of  them.  He  and  his  associates  organized  and  incor- 
porated the  Oklahoma  Railroad  Company.  Ames  was  elected 
president;  S.  T.  Alton.  \ice  president;  J.  ^NI.  Owen,  secretary, 
and  J.  Tj.  Wilkin,  treasurer.  The  other  developed  into  an 
organization  known  as  the  Wi(diita  Falls  i'  Oklahoma  City 
Railway  Coni])any,  and  among  the  influential  men  l)ehind  it 
was  A.  M.  Huff  of  'Wiehita  Falls.  Tex.,  who  afterwards  be- 
came noted  throughout  the  Southwest  because  of  the  indus- 
trial enterprises,  including  railroads,  that  he  had  a  part  in 
concluding  in  XiU'thwestern  Texas  and  "Western  Oklahoma. 
It  was  apparent  that  lud'ore  many  years  the  Kiowa  and  <  Co- 
manche Indian  rescr\ation  would  be  opened  to  settlement,  and 
no  cities  (d'  the  Southwest  were  more  vitally  conceruc^l  <iver 
that  matter  than  Oklahoma  < 'ity  and  Wichita  Falls,  for  the 
great  I'eservatioii  lay  lietween  them.  The  reservation  was 
opened  to  settlement  two  years  later  but  the  railroad  did  n<it 
materialize.  That  it  failed  ma}'  have  l»een  due  to  the  already 
announced  desire  (d'  the  ]'h-isco  to  penetrate  that  territory. 
Other  incorjiorators  with  ^ir.  Huff  were  C.  C  Jones.  I).  C, 
Lewis  and  F.  'M.  Riley. 

On  April  l-lth  AV.  J.  (iault  die<l.  He  was  among  the  or- 
ganizers (d'  the  city  gowrnnient  in  ISSD  and  was  the  first 
legally  elected  may^'.r.  He  als(,  had  sei-ved  as  ],resi.lent  of  the 
school  board  and  was  a  member  of  ihe  House  of  Representa- 
tives (d'  the  I'^.urth  Legislature.     His  death  was  prof.amdiy 


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0.o'l-l^> 


CLIFTOX  GEORGE 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  209 

regretted  thruugliout  the  ei>uiimuuty.  flavor  ^'anAVillkle 
called  tlie  council  iiitu  extraordinary  session  and  it  adopted 
approi)iiate  resolutions. 

Outstanding  more  or  less  minor  events  of  the  year  included 
the  election  of  a  new  Ijoard  of  directors  of  the  City  (duh  con- 
sisting of  A.  H.  Classen,  W.  W.  Storm,  M.  C.  Milncr,  E.  II. 
Cooke,  Fred  \y.  Snuth,  Dr.  "\Vils(jn  Stuvc  and  J.  M.  Owen ; 
the  selection  of  Capt.  C.  H.  DeFord  as  sergeant  at  arms  of 
tlie  lower  house  of  the  Legislature;  the  resignation  of  E.  F. 
Cochran  as  chief  of  jiolice  and  the  appointment  of  U.  AV.  R. 
Chiim  as  his  successor;  the  departure  of  Edward  Loughmiller, 
a  Rough  Rider  veteran,  for  Xew  York  as  a  member  of  the 
Wild  West  show  ti'oupe  of  William  Cody  who  chose  ten  men 
from  among  the  Oklahoma  veterans  to  appear  in  perform- 
ances in  various  cities  of  the  East ;  the  arrival  of  Charles  F. 
Colcord,  former  sheriff  of  Xoble  County,  from  Perry,  and  his 
announcement  that  he  expected  to  erect  a  row  of  two-story 
brick  business  houses  on  Grand  Avenue ;  the  election  of  Clif- 
ton George  as  corresponding  secretary  of  the  City  Club;  a 
proposal  by  Oscar  Lee  to  erect  a  four-story  hotel  at  ]\Iain  and 
Broadway  at  a  cost  of  $40,000,  provided  residents  of  the  city 
would  suliscril:>e  $5,000  of  that  amount;  and  the  resignation 
of  F.  W.  Smith  as  recording  secretary  of  the  City  Club  and 
the  election  of  J.  McKee  Owen  as  his  successor. 


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1900— FRAXCHISES  AND  BOX!)  SALES 

Final  plans  for  constructing  a  street  raihvay  system  nearly 
materialized  this  year.  Altogether  four  applications  for 
franchises  had  been  made,  and  <rf  these  the  committee  of  the 
Council  to  whom  they  were  referred  rec(>mmended  acee})tance 
of  that  sul)mitted  by  H.  Overholser.  The  reconnnendation 
was  not  acted  upon  at  that  time  Ix'cause  of  rumors  of  a  com- 
bination of  interests  the  perfection  of  which  was  calculated 
to  preA-eut  contests  for  favors.  Eugene  Everest,  lawyer,  re- 
ported to  the  council  at  a  sul)sequent  meeting  that  a  street 
railway  comjiau}-  with  a  capital  stock  of  -$200,000  vcas  in  pro- 
cess of  formation  a]id  that  he  was  authorized  liy  the  pro- 
motors  to  apply  for  a  franchise.  Judge  Lindsay  of  (faines- 
ville,  Texas,  and  (ieorge  C.  Kelly  of  Birmingham,  Ala.,  were 
among  the  promoters.  ^Ir.  Everest  told  the  council  he  had 
been  informed  ]\v  Mr.  Overholser  that  the  latter  was  wUling 
to  withdraw  his  apijlieation  if  other  persons  seeking  a  fran- 
chise were  I'eally  prepared  to  at  (tnee  begin  construction  of 
lines. 

On  August  :3d  a  franchise  was  awarded  to  the  Oklahoma 
City  Land  it  Electric  Railway  ('om]>any  which  ])ledged  itself 
to  l)egin  operations  by  the  first  of  tlu'  next  Felu'uary. 

Perhai>s  the  greatest  ovcut  since  the  o])euing  of  the  coun- 
try was  the  second  animal  I'cunion  hei'e  this  year  of  the  l-»ougli 
Riders  Association.  Certainly  it  was  the  largest  att<-nde(l 
convention  that  hail  been  held  in  the  Territory.  -iO.OOll  po'sous 
l)eing  ])resent,  and  it  was  coiisidi'red  to  hav(^  had  iuestiiiiable 
advertising  \-alue.  (\,].  Theodore  Roosevelt,  then  governor  of 
Xew  York,  was  the  most  distinguished  of  the  guests,  and  Ins 
former  coun-ades  from  all  parts  of  the  nation  gathered  here  to 
greet  him.  Colonel  Roose\-(.lt  arrived  on  .luly  2d  and  was 
greeted  formally  by  a  committee  consisting  nf  Mayoi-  Lee  ^'an- 
Winkle,  Col.  A.  O.  Brodie.  Cai)t.  Frank  Frantz.  Serg.  C  E. 
Hunter,  E.  W.  .Tohns(,n,  Anton  TF.  Classen.  Jud-e  B.  F.  l^ur- 
211 


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212  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

well,  Sidney  Clarke,  Deiiuis  Flyiui  and  l>r.  David  R.  Fxnd, 
jH'esident  of  the  University  of  Oklahnnia.  This  eimnnittee 
represented  the  Rungh  Riders  Reunion  Assuciation,  and  it 
Avas  joined  by  (iovernor  Barnes  an'd  his  military  staff.  The 
program  consisted  of  a  j)arade  uf  I'ecord-breaking  propor- 
tions for  Oklahoma,  a  speech  hy  Colonel  Roosevelt,  a  roping 
contest,  and  sjiectaculai'  tii'eworks  at  night  that  typified  the 
Battle  of  San  Juan  Hill. 

An  incident  of  this  reunion  is  said  to  have  had  a  bearing 
on  imijortant  events  in  the  near  future.  Governor  Barnes 
had  ordered  that  fourteen  horses  and  saddles  for  use  in  the 
jjarade  of  himself  and  staff  be  sent  over  from  Fort  Reno. 
These  mounts  -were  in  readiness  in  a  stal)le  early  in  the  day 
bnt  when  a  staff  officer  called  for  them  all  l)nt  three  of  them 
were  missing.  Their  absence  was  soon  accoimted  for:  they 
had  been  taken  Ijy  Rongh  Riders  who  had  iiot  been  provided 
with  monuts.  When  nev.-s  of  this  reached  Govei'iK.ir  Barnes 
he  grew  angry  and  ordered  Adjutant  General  Orner  of  his 
personal  staff  to  recover  the  mounts.  Orner  sought  to  comply 
with  the  order  but  he  soon  leaj-ned  that  he  and  his  chief  and 
all  their  eonn-ades  of  political  tinge  were  virtually  inconse- 
qnential  in  comparison  with  these  Roosevelt  men  who  had 
actually  fought  for  their  country  and  who  were  uidiorsing 
precedents  and  checkmating  conventions  in  this  time  of 
hilarious  celebration  of  their  military  accomplishments.  Xo 
opportunity  for  combat  here,  Orner  thought,  and  he  so  in- 
formed the  governor.  Only  three  memliers  of  the  governor's 
staff  had  mounts  for  the  parade.  Colonel  Roosevelt  is  said  to 
have  been  incensed  when  told  of  the  governor's  actiiui  and  lie- 
fore  he  departed  Captain  Finnerty  of  the  governor's  staff' 
brought  to  the  colonel  apologies  of  the  staff.  Subsequently, 
when  Roosevelt  was  Pi-esident  of  the  United  Statt's  and  giving 
thought  to  the  appointment  of  a  governoi-  of  Oklahoma,  he 
was  reminded  of  this  reunion  incident  by  ]^>enjaniin  ('oll)ert, 
an  Indian  '^Ferrifory  Rough  Ridei-,  who  had  served  as  his 
aide.     ''I  ha\-e  not  forgotten  it,"  said  the  President. 

During  the  Rough  Rider  festix'ities.  Clifton  <ieorg(\  secre- 
tary of  the  City  Club,  fell  from  liis  horse  and  suft'ered  a 
fracture  of  the  skull  and  a  brol<en  collar  boiu'.  For  S(weral 
davs  his  recover\-  was  doul)ffu]  but  he  recovered. 


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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIOilA  CITY  213 

Before  the  departure  of  Colonel  Brodie  he  was  presented 
■with  a  souvenir  spoon  as  a  token  of  Oklahoma  City's  appre- 
ciation of  his  serviees  in  lielijing  to  make  the  reunion  a 
inemoral>le  success.  The  sjjioou  was  carved  from  a  piece  of  cy- 
press by  E.  W.  Discher  and  painted  and  decorated  1)\-  Mrs. 
T.  S.  Chamlx'rlain  and  Mrs.  Brackctt.  Inside  the  bowl  was 
a  portrait  of  Colonel  Roosevelt,  mounted,  representing  him 
as  Rough  Rider  leader  in  service.  The  souvenir  was  pre- 
sented to  Colonel  Brodie  with  a  speech  l)y  Sidney  Clarke  as 
the  personal  representative  of  the  mayor. 

The  Territorial  Democratic  Convention  was  held  in  Ok- 
lahoma City  this  year  and  Roljert  Xeff  of  Kay  Coimty  was 
nominated  for  delegate  to  CongTess.  The  republicans  in  a 
Guthrie  convention  renominated  Dennis  Flynn.  The  popu- 
list nominee  was  John  8.  Allan  of  Xorman.  Flynn  was 
elected  by  a  })lurality  of  3,180  votes.  The  nomination  of  Xetf 
was  accomplished  after  a  highly  exciting  tug.  Opposing  can- 
didates were  William  Cross,  a  traveling  salesman  of  Okla- 
homa City,  and  Roy  Hoffman  of  Chandler.  Although  the 
populists  later  nominated  a  candidate.  Xeff"  was  considered  a 
fusion  nominee.  In  that  convention  the  populists  presented 
the  name  of  Dr.  Delos  "Walker  for  delegate  nominee.  James 
R.  Jacobs  of  Shawnee  was  chosen  Xational  Committeeman 
over  Jasper  Sipes  of  Oklahoma  City,  and  the  choice  ended  a 
contest  between  the  men  which  started  early  in  the  }'ear  and 
which  the  Xational  Connnittee  declined  to  settle. 

C.  G.  Jones  was  reelected  a  member  oi  the  Iloiise  of  Rep- 
resentatives and  other  members  elected  to  represent  Oklahonia 
County  were  John  Hogan  and  J.  W.  Ifadley.  Jolin  S.  Alex- 
ander was  elected  county  treasurer.  William  Iv.  Taylor, 
county  attorney;  Richard  Caft'rey,  county  clerk:  Maj.  J.  P. 
Allen,  probate  judge;  Charles  J.  Bowman,  registei"  of  deeds; 
Mrs.  ^fary  D.  Couch,  county  superintendent  of  schools; 
Charles  R.  Goucher,  tax  assessor ;  ^lichael  A.  O'Brien,  sheriff ; 
J.  P.  Barnard,  surveyor;  Dr.  J.  G.  Street,  coroner,  and  I^d- 
ward  S.  ^Nlalone,  county  conunissioner  for  the  district  em- 
bracing the  city. 

Undou1)tedly  this  was  the  most  growinu'  year  that  the  city 
had  ex])erieiiced.  Its  geographical  ]M.sitioii  and  its  increas- 
ing railroad  facilities  attracted  hundreds  of  jiei'Sons  interi'sted 


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214  THE  STOKV  UF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

ill  the  esta])lislmK'iit  uf  iiulustrics  and  distributiuu  plants.  Tlie 
City  Club  liad  its  busiest  year.  At  the  annual  meeting-  in 
January,  C.  B.  Ames  and  Mac(!rey(tr  Douglas  were  elected  to 
the  directorate  and  directors  of  the  preceding  year  were  re- 
elected. Anton  II.  Classen  was  chosen  president,  ^l.  C.  ^Nlil- 
ner,  first  Aice  president;  Seymour  Heyman.  second  vice  presi- 
dent; J.  M.  Owen,  secretary-treasurer,  and  C'lifton  George, 
corresponding  secretary.  The  cluli  this  year  entertained  del- 
egations of  trade-trippers  from  Memphis,  Temi.,  and  Little 
Eock,  xVrk.,  business  interests  of  these  cities  having  been  at- 
tracted to  this  territory  l)y  completion  of  the  Choctaw  Rail- 
road to  Oklahoma  City. 

Two  thousand  names  were  placed  on  the  cluirs  visitor  reg- 
ister during  the  }'ear.  It  had  passed  resolutions  that  were 
forwarded  to  Congress  asking  passage  of  a  bill  to  open  the 
Kiowa  and  Comanche  Indian  reservations  to  settlement.  It 
had  inspired  the  organization  of  the  first  Humane  Society, 
officers  of  which  Avere  ^Irs.  Sehvyn  Douglas,  president;  E. 
J.  Streeter,  A-ice  i)resident;  I.  ^L  Holcomb,  secretary-treas- 
urer, and  Sidney  Clarke,  Dr.  ])elos  A\'alker,  Miss  Mary  Fox, 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Streeter  and  ^MacGregor  Douglas,  directors.  Capt. 
D.  F.  Stiles  died  during  the  year  and  his  death  left  a  A'acaiicy 
in  the  city  park  lx>ard.  To  till  that  vacancy  the  clulj  recom- 
mended Joseph  B.  Tholnirn.  Important  among  the  club's 
subjects  of  discussion  was  a  proposal  suggested  l)y  C.  B. 
Ames  that  the  stateho(»d  convention,  to  be  held  in  ^NtcAlester 
in  December,  should  provide  for  the  assembling  of  a  consti- 
tutional convention  as  a  preparatory  stc]»  as  well  as  a  spur 
to  Congress  toward  the  accomplishment  of  statehood. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  public  liln-ary,  which  meantime 
Andrew  Carnegie  had  contracted  to  sui:)port,  was  laid  August 
16  with  ajjproiiriate  exercises  held  under  ausijices  of  the 
library  association,  which  consisted  of  Mrs.  Selwyn  Douglas, 
president;  ^Irs.  ^Vilson  Stuve,  vice  president;  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Wheeler,  secretary;  Mrs.  AV.  J.  Pettee.  treasuii'r;  :N[rs.  AVil- 
liam  Brady  and  Mrs.  J.  X.  :\rcClung. 

The  city  council,  on  August  20,  a(h>pted  ])lans  for  the 
construction  of  a  city  hall  that  had  l>cen  prepared  liy  David 
Douglas.  The  cost  was  estimated  at  .-rl'<i.<)ill).  On  Sei.tem- 
ber  15,  the  council  sold  to  the  highest  bidders  the  liuildiiigs 


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FIRST    XATIOXAL    liAXK    BUILDING 


THE   STOKY  OF  OKLAIIU.MA  CITY  217 

on  the  city-liall  site.  W.  ^1.  Jones  i)aid  ^-j:]  for  a  brick  struc- 
ture. ^Irs.  Eacliel  Key  bought  a  frame  buikling  for  -tl-')!,  X. 
E.  Chirk  bought  anotlier  one  for  -$110,  and  J.  W.  Johns(»n 
paid  .^20  for  the  board  sidewalk. 

Public  demands  for  paving  increased  during  the  year  and 
on  Xovember  19  the  council  passed  an  ordinance  providing 
for  the  paving  of  ]Maiu  Street,  Grand  Avenue  and  First 
Street,  between  Santa  Fe  Street  and  Harvey  Avenue  and  of 
Broadway  and  Kobiuson  Avenue  between  California  Street 
and  the  right  of  way  of  the  Choctaw  Railroad.  This  action 
was  urged  by  a  citizens'  committee  consisting  of  Charles  F. 
Colcord,  O.  h.  Halsell  and  Edward  Overholser.  During  the 
remainder  of  the  year  no  pul^lie  issue  was  nearly  so  much 
discussed  as  that  involving  whether  the  pavement  should  be 
of  asphalt  or  brick  construction,  and  the  matter  finally  was 
settled  in  court. 

Bonds  iu  the  sum  of  $20,000  for  installing  a  sewage 
system  and  $100,000  for  purchasing  the  plant  of  the  Ok- 
lahoma City  Waterworks  Company  were  voted  by  a  large  ma- 
jority and  on  Sei)tember  li  they  were  sold,  at  a  premium  of 
$7,500,  to  ]\L  L.  Turner.  On  Xovember  5  the  council  passed 
an  ordinance  providing  for  purchase  of  the  water  system. 

Rival  telephone  companies  sought  franchises  and  during 
several  weeks  political  and  lousiness  influences  were  vigorously 
contended  for  through  conferences,  personal  solicitatioJi  and 
stirring  articles  in  the  daily  newspapers.  The  outcome  was 
the  granting  by  the  council  of  a  franchise  to  the  Citizens  In- 
dependent Telephone  Company. 

Doubtless  there  is  of  record  in  the  public  archives  of  the 
city  some  documentary  evidence  of  the  ofBcial  condemnation 
of  a  Cottonwood  tree.  An  innocent  old  landmark  of  the  for- 
mer prairies,  the  last  of  its  family  to  escape  the  ruthless  axe 
of  unfeeling  man,  standing  fearlessly  and  somewhat  majes- 
tically at  32  Grand  Avenue,  was,  by  the  council,  declared  to 
be  a  nuisance,  and  that  declaration  bore  the  seal  of  execution. 
An  axe  fell  upon  it  and  it  crashed  to  the  earth,  unpitied  and 
unsung.  Pioneers  recalled  that  this  tree  and  its  former  asso- 
ciates stood  in  what  the  settlers  called  a  lagoon  tliat  lay  in 
Broadway  between  Grand  and  ('nlifornia  a\cnues.  It  was 
within  the  area  of  this  lagoon  that  J.  P.  Culbertson  of  Pai'is, 


>ir!T 


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218  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Texas,  in  this  same  year  chose  to  erect  a  large  business  struc- 
ture. That  structure,  by  virtue  of  nonconforniati\'e  sur\-ey.s, 
spread  over  nearly  half  of  Broadway  and  stands  today  a  nuite 
reminder  of  the  line  battle  of  'Si).  Culberts(jn  paid  :^7,000  for 
the  site. 

The  United  States  Supreme  Court  on  April  1  dismissed 
the  appeal  of  Richard  Caffrey,  the  county  clerk  who  had  re- 
fused to  spread  upon  the  recin-ds  of  the  county  the  returns 
of  the  Territorial  board  of  Equalization.  Caffrey,  hoAvcAei-, 
had  been  admitted  to  bail  after  serving  several  months  in  the 
county  jail.  On  June  30  the  Territorial  Supreme  Court  again 
ordered  Caffrey  to  perform  this  act.  He  declined  and  was 
again  placed  in  jail.  He  appealed  in  vain  to  Governor  Barnes 
for  relief.  Caffrey  ct»ntended  at  that  time  he  was  unable  to 
obey  the  order  of  the  court  l^eeause  County  Treasurer  ^y.  L. 
Alexander  refused  to  surrender  the  books  necessary  to  the 
transcript  unless  ordered  by  a  court  to  do  so. 

Other  events  of  public  interest  this  year  included  the  or- 
ganization in  Oklahoma  (?ity  of  an  Anti-Saloon  League;  the 
acceptance  )jy  the  city  council  of  an  offer  of  Henry  Over- 
holser  to  loan  the  cit}-  $30,000  with  which  to  erect  a  city  hall ; 
the  efforts  of  the  City  Club  and  other  public-spirited  citizens 
to  seciire  the  location  and  erection  of  a  Methodist  College ;  the 
organization  of  a  military  company  of  forty  members,  of 
which  A.  Sidney  Johnson  was  elected  captain,  L.  E.  Blakes- 
ley,  first  lieutenant,  and  Br.  A.  M.  Dietrick,  second  lieutenant; 
the  resignation  of  B.  F.  Xyhart  as  superintendent  of  city 
schools  to  accept  the  chair  of  Latin  in  the  Territorial  Xormal 
at  Edmond  and  the  election  of  Isaa('  ^l.  Holcomb,  then  prin- 
cipal of  ^Vashington  School,  to  fill  the  vacancy;  the  reelection 
at  Kingfisher  of  ^h's.  Selwyn  Douglas  as  president  of  the 
Territorial  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs;  the  purchase  by 
the  Oklahoma  Printing  Com]jany  of  The  Daily  Oklahomau, 
editor,  and  of  Avhich  company  W.  T.  Parker  was  elected  vice 
of  which  Ivoy  E.  Stafford,  president  of  the  company,  became 
president  and  treasurer,  and  V.  Y.  Hardcastle,  secretary ;  the 
organization  of  the  Texas  Association,  of  which  M.  Fulton 
was  elected  itresident.  J.  S.  .Tenkins,  first  vice  president;  AV. 
Tt.  Reagan,  sec.nd  ^•ice  president;  V.  J.  Ciddings,  secretary, 
and  J.  P.  Johnson,  marshal,  with  T.  M.  Upshaw,  Dr.  A.  K. 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIKJ.MA  CITY  .         219 

AVest  and  J.  P.  Johns  selected  as  a  coiniuittee  tn  ulitain  quar- 
ters; the  suspeusiuu  of  AV.  B.  Ileudrey  as  eliief  of  p(>liee  on 
a  charge  of  neglect  of  duty,  the  aiiiiointuient  l)y  the  council 
of  G.  ^y.  R.  Chinn  to  the  pnsitinn,  and  the  i-einstateuieut  of 
Hendrey  after  Judge  IJurwell  had  ruled  that  the  cnuncil 
was  without  authority  to  eject  hiui  from  ot'lire:  the  veto  l)y 
Mayor  YanAViukle  of  an  ordinance  granting  a  franchise  to 
the  Oklahoma  (_'ity  Gas  tV:  P(»wer  Company  and  the  renewed 
application  of  that  comijany  after  amending  terms  of  the 
original  application  to  overctmie  the  ol)jectii>ns  of  the  mayor; 
the  formal  opening  of  the  Lee  Hotel  on  July  HO;  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Oklahoma  City  Heat.  Power,  h'uel  iV:  (ias  Com- 
pany, of  which  M.  ^V.  Giffi.rd  of  Chicago.  P.  P.  Farmer  of 
Benton  Harl)or.  Mich.,  and  P.  G.  Hays,  J.  :\lrMeachan  and 
A.  C.  Poot  of  Oklahoma  City  were  elected  directors;  and  the 
organization  of  the  Frontier  Puhlishing  Company  liy  J.  B. 
Thobnrn,  AV.  H.  Poach  and  C.  J.  Creller  to  puhlish."  simul- 
taneonsly  in  Oklahoma  City,  Chickasha  and  Fort  8ill,  a 
weekly  periodical  to  be  known  as  The  Last  Frontii'r.        !    :    ., 


H!fi[;U; 


J   '.^l    ■•  .A 


1901— OIL  AXD  ANOTHER  OPEXIXG 

The  oijcniug  to  settlemeut  of  the  Kiowa  aud  Comanche 
Indian  reservation,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  territory, 
on  August  6  this  year,  luidouljtedly  was  the  superlative  event 
down  to  that  date  in  Okkilionia  City's  conunercial  history. 
It  was  far  more  important  from  the  commercial  standpoint 
than  the  opening  of  the  Cherokee  Strip,  for,  so  far  as  the 
distribution  of  products  was  concerned,  this  reservation  be- 
longed to  the  city  almost  exclusively.  The  city  had  been 
forced  to  divide  commercial  honors  with  other  towns,  the 
profits  accruing  from  increased  population.  It  may  be  said 
truly  t}\at  the  conunercial  supremacy  of  the  city  was  secure 
from  the  date  of  this  opening,  for  the  record  of  wholesale  and 
factory  development  during  the  ten  years  ensuing  is  one  of 
the  most  marvelous  in  the  annals  of  the  ^fiddle  AVest. 

Oklahoma  City  men  had  had  a  hand  in  securing  the  pas- 
sage of  the  bill  providing-  for  the  opening  of  the  Kiowa  and 
Comanche  country  and  it  was  prepared  to  handle  and  profit 
from  the  business.  It  made  an  unsuccessful  effort  to  get  the 
bill  amended  so  that  this  city  would  be  made  a  registration 
point  along  with  El  Reno  aud  Lawton.  The  registration  and 
the  drawing  that  followed  in  a  few  months  attracted  to  the 
territory  over  200,000  persons  aud  a  larger  numl)er  than  that 
became  residents  during  the  next  few  years.  The  towns  ot 
Lawton,  Hobart  and  Anadarko  were  estal)lished  under  direc- 
tion of  the  Department  of  the  Interior.  Some  representative 
citizens  of  Oklahoma  City  became  residents  of  these.  Among 
them  were  Leslie  P.  Ross,  who  was  first  mayor  of  South  Okla- 
homa City  and  who  was  the  first  elected  mayor  of  Lawton;  J. 
Elmer  Thomas,  a  young  Indiana  lawyer,  who  for  over  ten 
years  after  statehood  represented  his  district  in  the  state 
Senate;  Frank  McMastcr.  the  political  leailer,  lawyer  and 
editor;  V.  V.  llardcastle.  tlie  publisher.  \\\u>  was  the  first 
elected  city  attorney  of  Anailarko. 
221 


HJirro'CL  (i^j:.  Jio-  swo'i 


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222  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

Before  the  passa.uo  of  the  oi)eiiing  aet,  C.  G.  Jones,  chief 
of  Oklahoma  railroad  builders,  had  organized  the  Oklahoma 
City  &  AVestern  Railway  i'duipany  with  a  view  of  extending 
throngh  the  new  territory  and  into  Texas  the  line  that  he 
had  brought  to  Oklahoma  City  from  Sapulpa.  On  October 
17  he  announced  that  he  liad  awarded  a  contract  for  construc- 
tion of  the  southwestern  line. 

Jones  was  a  consistent  worker.  His  vision  of  the  indus- 
trial possibilities  of  tlir  state  was  clear-lined  and  distinct. 
He  was  a  dreamer  in  a  million  wlio  made  dreams  come  true. 
He  conceived  that  the  conununitx's  interests  Avere  his  inter- 
ests. Guthrie  had  complacently  awaited  fultillmeut  of  a 
prophecy  that  the  Frisco  would  build  along  a  Cimarron  val- 
ley survey  into  that  city.  Shawnee  had  secured  the  Choctaw 
and  showed  indications  of  being  a  business  rival  of  Okla- 
homa City.  Jones  de])riv('d  each  of  a  large  portion  of  coun- 
tr3--trade  territory  l)y  thrusting  the  Frisco  over  a  virgin  route 
between  them,  thereby  enhancing  the  strength  of  his  own  city 
in  a  striking  and  fascinating  supremacy  contest.  "With  the 
southwestern  line  out  of  hand  for  the  present,  J(-)nes  turned 
his  attention  to  the  Southeast.  He  foresaw  the  construction 
of  a  state  out  of  the  two  territories  within  a  few  years  and 
a  rapid  development  of  a  large  section  of  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory tributary  to  Oklaliouia  City.  He  therefore  organized 
what  was  called  the  Oklahoma  &  Southeastern  ]?ailway  Com- 
])any.  objeetives  of  which  were  to  ))e  Coalgate,  Atoka,  Deni- 
son.  Texas,  and  Shrevejxu't,  La. 

The  impi-ession  should  not  be  left  that  Jones  single-handed 
and  alone  accom})lishe(l  the  many  enterprises  with  whi(^h  he 
was  connected  during  the  full  years  of  his  usefulness.  A 
few  of  those  who  t1ieri'tot'oi-e  had  lieen  in  considerable  degree 
responsilde  for  industrial  successes  and  who  thereafter  })layed 
an  important  i)art  in  the  city's  dcA-elopment  wei'e  memljers 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  new  Oklahoma  cV:  Snutheastern. 
These  men  were:  Charles  F.  Colc(U-(l,  W.  W.  Storm,  vice 
president,  C.  E.  P>ennett,  C.  -M.  Meade,  Kdwai'd  l>.  Dunn, 
secretary,  and  Edward  11.' Cooke.  'I'lie  new  coinijany  was 
destined  to  a  career  of  rivalry  that  will  make  interestinu- 
paragraphs  in  this  rei'ord  of  events. 

Oklahoma's  first  excitement  over  the  actual  discoverv  of 


AUT 


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II    ■Ml)    ,i; 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIU.MA  CITY  223 

oil  in  paying  quantities  developed  tliis  year.  The  diseovery 
was  made  at  Red  Fork,  in  the  Creek  Indian  Nation.  Within 
a  few  weeks  probal)ly  a  score  of  oil  concerns  had  l)een  or- 
ganized in  the  territory,  several  of  them  by  Oklahoma  City 
enthusiasts  in  the  game  of  speculation.  Stock  sales  were  - 
jjromoted  personally  and  through  newspaper  advertising  and  •  '•  "  '- 
the  purchasing  fever  seemed  to  have  been  carried  on  the  winds.  '  t 

It  was  during  this  period  that  the  big  gushers  had  been  dis-  '  ■    ' 

covered  at  Beaumont  and  Oklahoma  was  enveloped  in  the 
cloud  of  get-rieh-quick  speculation  that  covered  the  South- 
west. 

Among  the  most  active  eouipanies  was  the  Red  Fork  Oil  & 
Gas  Company  of  Purcell,  of  which  Dorset  Carter,  a  young 
lawyer  of  that  i)laee,  was  president.  Clarence  Bennett  of 
Oklahoma  City  Avas  vice  president,  and  Edward  L.  ])unn  of 
Oklahoma  City  was  secretary.  Fred  S.  Barde,  the  (iuthrie 
journalist,  afterwards  known  as  the  dean  of  Oklalionui  news- 
paper men,  was  made  corresponding  secretary,  and  E.  ^l. 
Meade  was  treasurer.  The  company  reported  that  it  had 
acquired  twelve  town  lots  at  Red  Fork,  that  each  of  these  <■ 

was  as  large  as  the  average  city  block,  and  that  one  of  them  c  !• 

was  within  300  feet  of  the  discovery  well,  which  was  rei^orted  '  ! 

to  be  a  gusher.    In  the  following  June  another  well  was  com-  | 

plcted  in  that  district  that  was  reported  to  have  made  an  j 

average  of  2,S00  barrels  daily.    Robert  Gall)reath  was  cred-  I 

ited  with  discovery  of  the  Red  Fork  pool.     He  and  other  ^ 

men  of  the  city  were  reputed  to  have  made  small  fortunes  ••  ] 

there. 

Further  i)lans  were  made  also  to  test  so-called  "'struc-  ■        ; 

tures"  in  the  vicinity  of  Oklahoma  City.    It  may  be  remarked.  •  ; 

parenthetically,  that  all  such  enterprises,  though  of  a  highly  >.  ; 

speculative  nature,  are  really  of  more  than  ordinai'y  imjior-  ! 

tance  in  these  annals  in  view  of  the  fact  that  just  su 
prises  Avere  instrumental  in  holding  the  subject  of  ( 
the  public  until  eventually  discoveries  were  made 
where  oA'er  tifty  i>ools  Avere  developed,  and  Oklahoui 
one  of  the  leading  oil-producing  states  of  the  Avorld. 

On  April  2.")  the  Oklahoma  Citv  Oil.  (Ins  .^-  ^line 
]>any  Avas  organized  Avitli  a  \-ieAV  of  di'illinn-  at  Couik 
Of  this  W.  1).  Cole  Avas  elected  president  and  Rol 


ch  en 

ter- 

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ror  e 

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224  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  L'lTY 

breath,  .sec-retai-y.  Direct* U's  were  J.  E.  Evarts,  C.  F.  Col- 
cord,  F.  R.  Holt,"  Y.  B.  Zeigler,  A.  L.  Wel.-h,  AV.  L.  Alexander, 
S.  B.  Fiiiley,  Harry  Throekniortiai  and  Robert  (ialbreatb. 
Officials  reportcMl  the  company  bad  ]5,()U0  acres  of  leases,  and 
later  it  ac(|uired  1.200  acres  additional  in  Pottawotamie 
Comity.  At  a  snl)sequent  nieetinii-  of  tbe  directors.  J.  E. 
Evarts  was  elected  president.  "W.  L.  Alexander,  seci'etary; 
F.  R.  Holt,  treasurer,  and  F.  B.  Zeigler,  manager.  At  aljont 
tbe  same  time  the  Oklahoma  Oil  Company  was  organized  with 
C.  B.  Ames  as  president,  J.  P.  Smith,  vice  president,  and  AV. 
B.  Armstrong,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Oil  concerns  popped 
oiit  here  and  there  all  over  the  territory.  Roy  E.  Stafford, 
who  nearly  twenty  years  later  became  a  representative  oil  ;.. 

operator,  was  made  a  nienil)er  of  tbe  )joard  of  directors  of  the  \ 

Cimarron  Valley  ()il,  ( ias  t^-  Coal  Company.  j 

The  annual  election  of  tbe  City  Club  resulted  in  A.  H.  Clas- 
sen being  reelected  president.  H.  C.  Milner  was  elected  vice 
president,  S.  C.  Heyman,  second  vice  president;  J.  M.  Owen, 
treasurer,  and  Clifton  George,  secretary.    "W.  "W.  Storm,  C. 

B.  Ames  and  ]MacCJregor  Douglas  were  elected  directors.  The 
club  this  year  entertained  a  large  delegation  representing  the 
merchants  and  manufacturers  association  of  St.  Louis,  and 
representatives  of  tbe  Dallas  and  Kansas  City  commercial  or- 
ganizations.   It  sent  a  delegation  of  business  men  to  ^lemphis, 

to  return  the  Memphis  call  of  the  previous  year,  to  advertise  i 

the  city's  resources  and  to  discuss  its  desires  that  tbe  two        .         f 
territories  ])e  admitted  to  statehood.    These  matters  were  yn-e- 
sented  in  s])eecbes  in  tbe  Tennessee  city  by  ^layor  VaiAVinkle, 

C.  B.  Ames,  Xels  Darling  and  others.    During  the  year  ^Ir. 
Storm  resigned  from  tbe  Ixiard  of  directors  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  0.  D.  Halsell.    Secretary  rTCorge,  on  account  of  ill 
health,  also  submitted  his  resignation,  and  the  board  of  di-  j 
rectors  unanimously  rejected  it.    Entertainment  was  afforded 

to  representatives  of  the  Connnercial  (^lul)  of  El  Reno  who 

made  known  the  desire  of  tbe  city  that  it  shonld  l)e  l)y  tbe  ; 

Legislature  declared  tlie  seat  of  the  penitentiary.  1 

The  first  permanent  organization  of  tbe  Eighty-niners  As-  ! 

soeiation  was  ]ierfecte(l  (.n  April  S.    Sidne\-  Cbu-ke  was  eli^-ted  ' 

president  and  AV.   L.   Alexander,  secretary,  and  plans  were  I 

made  for  a  1)an(|uet  to  be  bebl  in  oliservance  of  tlie  opening.  ; 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  227 

Charter  ineinbL'is  of  the  association  were  Sicluey  Clarke,  W. 
L.  Alexander,  J.  M.  Owen,  F.  V.  Brandon,  Harry  Oersun, 
James  Gerson,  Dr.  F.  S.  Dewey,  Samnel  Bartell,  J.  B.  Gar- 
rison, E.  AV.  Gaston,  J.  :\L  Gaston,  Robert  Cralbreath,  J.  M. 
Haley,  W.  H.  Wilson,  T.  F.  .MeMechau,  Samuel  Cr.^ker,  R. 
Q.  Blakeney,  Samuel  ^lurphy,  A.  L.  AVeleh,  A.  E.  J.iuid- 
berg,  Oscar  Reagan,  Taz  Upshaw  and  C.  F.  Colcord. 

A  deed  to  the  city  to  a  tract  of  land  in  the  Maywood  Ad- 
dition to  be  used  for  park  purposes  was  presented  to  the  city 
coimcil  February  25.  It  was  from  Capt.  ]).  F.  Stiles  and  his 
sons,  George  and  Charles,  and  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  James  Geary. 
Later  Stiles  Park,  the  name  given  the  tract,  was  formally 
dedicated.  Two  thousand  persons  attended  the  exercises  and 
speeches  were  made  by  the  mayor  and  Governor  Jenkins. 

Skirmishes  for  a  street  car  franchise  enlivened  official  life 
during  the  year.  An  ordinance  was  passed  early  in  December 
granting  a  franchise  to  Harold  R.  Berry,  Edmond  Harrison 
and  A.  S.  Craney  of  Xew  Y(jrk.  H  was  vetoed  by  the  niayoi- 
principally  because  of  certain  street  exemptions.  The  ordi- 
nance was  again  jDassed,  on  December  24,  Avith  olijectionable 
features  eliminated.  Previously  the  Oklahoma  City  Street 
Railway  Company,  organized  by  C.  F.  Colcord,  A.  H.  Classen, 
H.  Brauer,  T.  K.  Hackman  and  E.  W.  Johnson,  had  ai>]ilied 
for  a  franchise.  An  application  had  been  made  also  by  .1.  M. 
Davis  of  Springfield.  :\Lo.  In  April  the  Oklahoma  City  Street 
Railway,  Light,  Power  &  Inqn'ovemcnt  Company  liad  'Axon 
notice  of  an  application.  Of  this  company  C.  F.  ( 'olcord  was 
president,  C.  E.  Bennett,  vice  president,  and  C.  V.  Cili)in, 
secretary. 

C.  G.  Jones  was  ehosen  mayor  in  the  sjtriiig  election,  de- 
feating Mayor  Lee  YanAVinkle,  the  demon'atic  nominee.  l)y 
193  votes.  J.  H.  'Wright  was  reelected  city  attorney  l)y  a 
majority  of  one  vote.  Ralph  Cochran  was  elected  chief  of 
police. 

Happenings  of  historic  interest  during  the  year  included 
these:  The  American  National  Bank  was  organized  with  a 
capital  stock  of  $100,000  and  with  W.  S.  Search,  ].resident; 
Col.  S.  E.  :\ross  (,f  Cl.'burue,  Texas,  vice  ].resident.  and  J.  S. 
Corle.y,  casliier:  Ro\-  lidtrnian  of  ('haixlliM-  and  M.  L.  Turner 
and  Dr.  Jolui  Threa.l-ill  of  Oklahoma  City  iiicorp<.rat<Hl  the 


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228  THE  .STOKV  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Oklalujiiia  Cit\-  Trust  A:  ►Surety  Conipauy;  E.  S.  Bronsuu,  for 
many  future  years  secretarj-  of  tlie  Oklahoma  Press  Associa- 
tion, came  dowu  from  Trenton,  Mo.,  and  located;  J.  F.  War- 
ren, who  afterward  became  one  of  the  city's  leading  bankers 
and  ser\-ed  for  several  years  as  president  of  the  Oklahoma 
State  -Fair  Association,  located  here,  coming  down  from  A\'a- 
bash,  Ind.,  and  engaged  in  the  loan  business;  the  Real  Estate 
Association  was  formed  with  C.  F.  Colcord  as  president,  J.  II. 
^IcCartney,  vice  president:  J.  J.  Xovak,  secretary,  and  John 
Holzapfel,  treasurer:  (.'.  U.  Ames,  representing  Capt.  Frank 
Frantz,  presented  the  City  Club  with  a  loving  cup  as  a  mark 
of  gratitude  for  the  entertainment  afforded  under  the  auspices 
of  that  body  to  the  Rough  Riders  Assoeiation  in  the  previous 
year ;  the  county  assessor  reported  the  population  of  the  city 
to  be  14,009;  E.  A.  Xeal,  formerly  of  the  AVichita  Eagle,  and 
Hathaway  Harper,  formerly  city  editor  of  the  Oklahoma  City 
Times-Joni'nal,  bought  the  Mc^^laster  printing  plant  and 
launched  the  Evening  llei'ald:  d.  II.  Vi.sljurgh,  president;  L. 
G.  Tillotson,  vice  president :  R.  K.  Sleeper,  secretary,  and  S. 
Laird,  treasurer,  and  others  organized  the  first  golf  club  in 
the  city;  Frank  J.  Wikoli"  resigned  as  territorial  bank  exam- 
iner, to  become  president  of  the  National  Bank  of  Connnerce 
of  Stilhvater:  the  Carnegie  Library  was  dedicated  on  August 
29;  Edward  S.  A^aught  was  elected  principal  of  the  iugh 
school  and  A.  R.  Hickam.  teacher  of  Latin  in  the  high  school: 
on  September  10  the  earner  stone  of  the  city  hall  was  laid 
under  auspices  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  C.  Porter  Johnson 
delivered  the  oration;  the  Illinois  Society  was  formed  with 
a  membership  of  abnut  fnrty  and  C.  Porter  eJohnsou  was 
elected  president,  Juhn  Miller,  first  vice  president:  :\I.  L. 
Blackwelder,  sei-ond  vice  president;  Louise  Warden,  record- 
ing secretary;  R.  E.  Uun.n.  corresponding  secretary,  and  C. 
E.  Mitchell,  treasuri'r;  and  the  first  paving  contract  was 
awarded. 


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1902— MOKE  BUSINESS,  LESS  SO(;iETY 

The  chief  events  of  this  year  were  the  (■(Hicludinu'  of  ar- 
rangements for  installing-  a  system  of  trolley  cars,  the  reor- 
ganization cif  the  City  Club  as  a  ( 'hanil)er  of  ('onmu'rct'  with 
social  features  eliminated,  the  selection  of  a  site  for  Epwurth 
University,  and  a  renewal  of  etforts  to  secure  the  }iassage  of 
a  statehood  hill. 

On  January  '.10  the  cit\'  council  passed  an  ordinance  grant- 
ing a  street  railway  franchise  to  the  Metropolitan  Street 
Railway  Oompany  and  shortly  thereafter  it  was  amiounced 
that  Anton  Tf.  Classen  had  }»nrchnsed  the  franchise  granted 
to  H.  B.  Berry  and  associates.  On  ^larch  5  a  deal  was  com- 
pleted Avherel)y  the  interests  of  Classen  were  merged  with  tlu' 
^letropolitan  company.  In  due  time  the  City  Council  (deared 
its  records  of  franchises  granted  and  api'lied  for.  which  ga\e 
the  Metropolitan  company  an  unol)structed  fi(dd.  and  its  of- 
ficials announced  that  the  laying  of  track  would  start  in  a 
short  time.  E^om-  miles  of  the  line  were  to  he  in  o})erati(»n 
within  one  year. 

The  Metro])olitan  Street  Railway  Comi)any,  of  which  the 
present  Oklahoma  Railway  (^"ompany  is  the  succ(>ssor.  Avas 
organized  with  a  capital  stock  of  .<oO().(Hii),  with  W.  W.  Storm 
as  president  and  John  Shartel  as  secretary  and  treasiuci-.  and 
these  men  and  S.  T.  Alton,  Dr.  John  Tincadgill  and  E.  IL 
Cooke  constituted  the  hoard  of  directors. 

A  site  lor  Ei.w<uth  Uiuversity  was  selected  on  May  (!.  It 
was  situated  one  and  three-quai-ter  nnles  northwest  (d'  the 
business  ceider  of  the  city.  The  executive  couunittee.  which 
also  constituted  the  l)uildiug  connnittee,  was  couqiosed  of  tlie 
Rev.  J.  B.  Riley,  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Rankin,  tlie  K'ev.  D.  C. 
Thompson,  the  Rev.  C.  E.  Roherts.  (ieorge  C.  (uven.  C.  B. 
Ames  and  Joseph  I].  Tholnirn.  Mr.  Tholmrn  was  elected  sec- 
retary. A  connnittee  id'  citizens  repi'esmtinu  the  ('oiiiiiiittee 
and  the  business  interests,  consisting  of  l>r.  doliu  Threadgill. 
229 


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230  THE  STOrxV  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

J.  M.  Owen,  a.  B.  stone,  J.  H.  Hess  and  ^V.  G.  (iutlirie,  was 
ai:)I)ointed  to  solicit  euiitiibutiuns  to  a  fund  of  -tlOUjOOU  to  be 
used  iu  construction  of  buildings  and  for  endowment  pur- 
poses. This  fund  was  agreed  upon  by  the  Methodist  com- 
mittee in  accepting  a  proposition  submitted  by  the  Uuiversitv 
Development  Company,  represented  at  the  meeting  bv  John 
Shartel.  This  proposition  involved  a  donation  of  fifty  acres 
of  land  for  a  campus  and  building  site. 

This  project  had  endorsement  of  the  conferences  of  the 
North  and  South  Ijranches  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Iu  fact,  the  plan  of  erecting  a  university  here  was  conceived 
at  a  joint  meeting  of  representatives  of  the  churches  man^• 
months  before.  Interest  was  slow  in  manifesting  itself,  ai- 
though  sevei-al  enthusiastic  meetings  of  church  men  were  held 
during  the  previous  year.  The  project  was  welcomed  bv  the 
City  Club  and  business  interests  outside  the  elul),  and  it  was 
heralded  as  the  begiuuing  of  a  movement  toward  giving  the 
city  recognition  over  the  Southwest  as  an  important  scat  of 
higher  learning. 

Consummation  of  plaus  for  the  institution  came  almost 
concurrently  with  the  street  railway  conclusions  and  officials 
of  the  Metropolitan  company  entered  heartilv  into  the  uni- 
versity enterprise.  These  facts  are  significant  stepping  stones 
m  the  history  of  the  city,  which  was  ascending  toward  met- 
ropolitan proportions,  and  men  of  means  who  built  temporary 
frame  residences  near  the  business  district  began  looking  for- 
ward to  permanent  homes  farther  out.  The  universit  v  p?.  .ject 
and  the  assurance  of  street  railway  service  drew  attention 
toward  the  Xorthwest.  In  a  short  time  residential  lots  were 
put  on  the  market  on  Thirteenth  street  and  beyond,  and  this 
was  the  first  step  toward  estaldishment  of  residential  districts 
that  within  fifteen  years  contained  homes  with  values  aggre- 
gating millions  of  dollars. 

_  Upon  the  resignation  of  Clifton  Ceorge  as  secretary  of  the 
City  Club,  Joseph  B.  Thoburn  was  chosen  to  fill  the  office 
temporarily,  his  term  depending  upon  a  call  to  (iuthrie  to 
assume  the  position  of  secretary  of  the  Territ.u'ial  Hoard  of 
Agriculture,  which  had  been  offeivd  him  bv  the  -,,vernor 
Thoburn "s  investigations  (d'  the  .-lub-s  purposes,  Iils  kn..wl- 
edge  of  its  activities,  and  his  conception  of  its  duties  sn- 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  231 

gested  need  for  reorganization.  In  substance  his  idea  was 
that  the  chib  should  be  a  strictly  business  enterprise  with  all 
the  machinery  required  to  make  it  a  success.  That  it  had 
been  of  great  value  to  the  city  was  nut  gainsaid,  but  that  its 
fifty  per  cent  of  social  purpose  was  a  hav  to  a  larger  and 
more- enthusiastic  membership  was  undoubted.  The  new  sec- 
retary was  given  permission  to  make  inquiry  as  to  the  ma- 
chinery of  successful  conunercial  organizations.  He  appro- 
priated from  the  constitutions  of  Kansas  City,  St.  Louis  and 
other  cities  the  best  provisions  that  could  be  made  ai)i)lii-able 
here  and  wrote  a  new  constitution  for  the  clul).  At  the  last 
meeting  of  the  year  the  constitution  was  adopted.  This  ci'eated 
what  afterwards  was  known  as  the  Chamber  of  Conunerce. 
and  it  is  virtually  the  same  constitiition  under  which  that  body 
operates  today. 

The  necessity  of  this  organization  was  made  apparent  to 
Secretary  Tho])urn  by  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city.  ]t  was 
a  i^eriod  of  unprecedented  and  rapidly  increasiug  business. 
Many  of  the  city's  leading  men  were  enthusiastic  boosters 
but  they  were  too  much  engrossed  in  their  own  Inisiness  to 
give  nmch  serious  thought  to  the  future,  while  proper  direc- 
tion of  events  of  the  future  required  intelligent  and  more 
concentrated  organization  than  many  events  of  the  present. 

Assisting  Secretary  Thoburn  in  the  preliminary  stei)s  of 
reorganization  was  a  committee  appointed  by  President  Clas- 
sen consisting  of  Seymour  Heyman,  George  E.  Gardner,  J. 
M.  Owen,  C.  B.  Ames  and  J.  \v.  Wykoff.  Under  the  new 
plan  Seymoiu'  Heyman  was  elected  president.  Thomas  V.  .Mc- 
Mechan,  vice  president:  AVestou  Atwood.  treasurer.  ;ind  .1.  1>. 
Thoburn,  secretary.  The  board  of  directors  <-ousist<d  of  C. 
E.  Bennett.  Joseph  Hess.  T.  F.  :\rc:\[echan.  O.  1).  H;il<.'ll. 
Weston  Atwood,  W.  P.  Dilworth,  Sevmour  Heyman.  George 
Ct.  Sohlberg,  A.  T.  Alton,  C.  V.  T.^-piug,  C.  F.  Clcord.  L.  F. 
Lee,  George  L.  Cooke,  Dr.  A.  K.  West  and  G.  E.  Gardnei-. 

Indications  were  favorable  early  in  the  }-car  for  the  ]ins- 
sage  of  a  statehood  l)ill,  but  this  was  reudeied  less  cei'taiu 
when  a  disagreement  arose  in  Congress,  as  well  as  anioug  a 
few  re])resentative  Oklah.omans.  as  to  wlictlior  one  state  or 
two  sliould  be  created  out  of  the  territories.  The  democrats 
controlled  the  House  of  Pepreseiitatives  and  the  ].arty  was 


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232  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

pledged  t<»  statehood  for  Oklahoma,  New  Mexico  and  Arizona. 
A  bill  introduced  by  Representative  John  II.  Stephens  of 
Texas  provided  that  one  state  should  be  created  out  of  Okla- 
homa and  Indian  Territory.  Representative  Moon  of  Tennes- 
see, reflecting  the  sentiment  of  a  considerable  number  of 
democrats  -who  favored  two  states  in  order  that  democratic 
representation  in  both  the  House  and  tlie  Senate  miiilit  l»e  in- 
creased, introduced  a  l)ill  creatint;- the  state  of  Jefferson  out  of 
Indian  Territory  and  dt'signatinc-  ^leAlester  as  the  capital. 
The  Committee  on  Territories  made  a  favoral)]e  rejiort  on  tiu' 
Moon  bill.  It  was  oppost'd  Ijy  Wall  Street  which  objected  to 
an  increase  in  the  uuml>er  of  senators,  and  it  failed  of  pas- 
sage. In  its  stead  the  House  passed  what  was  kn(twn  as  the 
Omnibus  bill,  granting  statehood  t<;)  Oklahoma,  Xew  ^Mexico 
and  Arizona.  On  the  tiocu'  of  the  House,  Representative  Mc- 
Rae  of  Arkansas,  who  twenty  years  later  was  governor  of  Ids  ' 

state,  made  a  vain  effort  to  have  the  bill  amended  so  as  to 
include  Indian  Territory  in  the  State  of  Oklahoma.  Delegate 
Flynn  of  Oklahoma,  who  l)elieved  tliat  his  constituents  were 
in  favor  of  virtually  any  sort  of  statehood  and  had  sui)ported 
the  democratic  majorit}-,  opjxised  the  ]\lcliae  amendment  un- 
less another  ameiuhiient  slioidd  provide  an  appropriation  to 
counterl)alani-e  the  lack  of  jiublic  lands  in  the  Inilian  Terri- 
tory. 

That  ended  statehood  agitation  in  Oklahoma  for  several 
mouths.  C.  (t.  Jones,  the  Oklahoma  City  reiu'csentative  in 
Washington,  said  u]iou  his  retui'u  home  that  the  Senate  ]troI)- 
al)ly  would  hold  an  incjuest  over  t\w  Ouuiilius  Itill  and  consign 
it  to  oblivion. 

Late  in  the  Autunui  the  Senate  liegau  an  investigation  of 
the  desires  of  the  territories.    A  couuHittc'e  headed  by  Senator 
Albert  Beveridge  of  Indiana  came  out  in  November  and  toured 
the  territoiies,  s])ending  a  few  hours  in  Oklahoma  Oity  <ui 
Xovem1)er  24.    It  was  given  a  cordial  rec-eption  l)y  represent- 
ative business  men  and  the  representatiA'cs  id'  half  a  scoi-e  n{  \ 
towns  who  were  permitted  to  make  arguments  before  it  in  1. 
a  ]»arlor  of  tlie  Lee  Hotel.     A  week  later  a  convention  was                     ] 
held   in  Chirenioie  to  prejiaiv  to   tight   the  Omnibus  bill   in  j. 
the  Senate.     Ivesolutious  passed  by  this  con\-eutioii.  written  | 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  233 

by  C.  B.  Ames,  again  asserted  that  the  people  of  tlie  territories 
desired  single  statehood. 

William  Cross  of  Oklahoma  City  was  nominated  for  Dele- 
gate to  Congress  by  the  democrats  in  territorial  ronvention 
at  Enid  on  April  23,  after  a  long  siege  of  balloting.  On  one 
of  the  ballots  votes  were  cast  for  C.  IJ.  Ames,  whose  name 
had  not  been  presented  as  a  candidate  and  who  was  chairman 
of  the  resolntions  committee.  Bird  tS.  ^leCiuire  was  the  re- 
publican nominee,  and  was  elected.  Ci'oss  tiled  a  contest, 
claiming  the  perpetration  of  fraud  but  the  count  of  the  ter- 
ritorial election  board  was  sustained. 

County  officials  elected  this  year  were  M.  A.  O'Erien,  sher- 
iff; J.  S.  Alexander,  treasurer;  J.  L.  Mitch,  register  of  deeds; 
Ralph  Earner,  county  attorne.v ;  J.  H.  Harpen,  probate  judge ; 
Mrs.  Mary  D.  Couch,  superintendent  of  sciiools;  1).  W. 
Wright,  assessor;  Dr.  J.  F.  ^Nfessenbaugh,  coroner;  J.  P.  1  Bar- 
nard, surveyor,  and  J.  S.  Morrow,  county  connnissioucr. 

Reports  of  the  discovery  of  minerals  in  the  Wichita  Moun- 
tains created  a  sensation  ahnost  equal  to  the  discovery  of  oil 
in  the  preceding  year.  Scores  of  men  joined  in  a  perfum-- 
tory  rush  into  the  prospective  territory,  only  to  have  th<'ir 
hopes  crushed  later  by  a  report  of  Chai'les  X.  Gould  of  the 
Oklahoma  Geological  Survey  that  minci'al  did  not  exist  in 
paying  quantities.  Publication  of  the  Gould  repoit  aroused 
the  ire  of  Frank  ^NlcMaster,  at  that  time  a  resident  id'  Lawton, 
who  hurried  into  ])rint  in  support  of  the  ])rospcctors.  "Come 
out,  Pr(d\'ss<u-,"'  said  an  open  communication  from  a  com- 
mittee of  ].rosiiectors  to  Mr.  (iould,  '-and  let  the  Ix.ys  show 
you  an  old  extinct  crater  near  Craterxille.  take  a  bath  in 
Lost  Lake,  pan  free  gold  on  Dee]»  Red  Rmi,  examine  the 
porphyry  that  makes  a  eheckerboai'd  (d'  the  Ottei'  Creek,  make 
yourself  a  jungle  Ijell  of  a  })honolite,  select  }-ou  a  charm 
out  of  our  amethyst  quartz,  examine  the  rose  quartz,  the 
hornblende  and  the  feldspar;  come  for  a  while  to  the  shad- 
ows of  ]\lount  Sheridan,  scale  its  summit  and  get  a  bii'dseye 
view  of  the  miners'  cauqis,  examine  the  native  co])])er  on 
Sandy,  look  back  to  the  ninety-foot  shaft  of  Canq.b..]l  Droth- 
ers  and  the  lO^-foot  shaft  of  Quanah  l*ai'kei-"s.  an<l  be  con- 
vinced that  the  ]u'ogressive  American  miner  is  ])roving  rich 
resources  in  these  old  hills." 


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234  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

The  uiiueral  excitement  blew  over  in  a  few  weeks,  so  far 
as  Oklahoma  City  was  concerned,  but  it  continued  with  vigor 
for  some  months  in  Lawton.  Hobart  and  Auadarko. 

On  the  first  of  this  year  the  headquarters  of  the  Oklahoma 
Historical  Society  was  transferred  from  the  University  at 
Norman  to  Oklahoma  City  and  its  effects  installed  in  the 
Carnegie  Libraiy. 

E.  H.  Cooke  and  G.  W.  Wheeler,  principal  owners  of  the 
Oklahoma  Gas  &  Electric  Power  Company,  sold  the  business 
to  Xew  York  capitalists  for  approximately  $140,000. 

C.  F.  Colcord  sold  an  interest  in  a  quarter-section  of  land 
adjoining  the  city  on  the  Southwest  to  G.  W.  Baiunhoft'  and 
associates  of  St.  Louis  for  $12,000.  The  purchasers  announced 
their  intention  of  spending  $25,000  in  converting  part  of  the 
tract  into  a  park  and  of  asking  for  a  street  railway  franchise. 
A  consequence  of  this  sale  was  the  establishment  of  I^elmar 
Garden,  which  succeeded  Colcord  Park,  and  Avhich  for  sev- 
eral years  was  the  leading  public  amusement  place  of  the  city. 

Isaac  M.  Holcomb  on  !March  1  resigned  as  superintendent 
of  schools  to  accept  an  appointment  as  deputy  to  the  clerk  of 
the  District  Court.  Tie  was  succeeded  by  Edward  S.  Vaught. 
who  was  promoted  fi'om  the  high  school  i^rincipalship.  A.  R. 
Hickam,  high  school  teacher  of  Latin,  succeeded  to  the  ]n'in- 
cipalship. 

C.  H.  Tliomp.?on  resigned  as  L'nited  States  marshal  and 
was  succeeded  by  AY.  D.  Fossett. 

A.  H.  Branch  of  Denver  was  elected  president  and  general 
manager  of  the  Oklahoma  Gas  &  Electric  Company.  Charles 
Gillette  of  Xcav  York  was  elected  vice  president  and  C.  B. 
Ames,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Some  board  members  elected 
were  E.  H.  Cooke.  G.  W.  Wheeler  and  G.  B.  Stone. 

A  country  club  was  oi'ganized  that  purposed  improving  a 
sylvan  spot  near  Spencer.  The  directors  were  Clarence  Ben- 
nett, J.  II.  Wheeler.  Dick  Ragon,  Weston  Atwood.  W.  :\r. 
Grant,  Harry  Gorson.  C.  B.  Pope,  W.  S.  Guthrie  and  Dr. 
John  Threadgill. 

The  Oklahoma  :^redical  College,  with  a  capital  .stock  of 
$15,000,  was  organzied  this  year  and  a  complete  faculty  se- 
lected. Dr.  John  Threadgill  was  elected  i)i-esident.  Dr.  W.  T. 
Salmon,  seci'etar\-  and  treasurer;  T)y.  G.  A.  Y'all,  dean;  Dr. 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  OITY  237 

R.  T.  Edwards,  vici'  i)rfsident,  and  Dr.  AV.  E.  Dickeu,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  buard  of  directors. 

The  establishment  of  a  modern  park  at  Dehnar  CJarden 
and  the  probability  of  a  line  of  the  street  ear  system  beinL;' 
laid  to  that  place  reviA-ed  interest  iu  baseball  dnring  the  \'ear 
and  a  baseball  association  was  formed  that  pnrposed  })r(iniii- 
tiou  of  a  i)ermauent  league.  Seymour  Heyman  was  elected 
president  of  the  association,  Harry  Robarc.  secretary,  and 
Byrou  D.  Shear,  treasurer.  These  men  and  Hugh  ^IcCredie, 
C.  F.  Coleord,  C.  J.  Bowman.  E.  I.  Leach  and  E.  E.  Patters(.n 
constituted  the  board  of  directors. 

On  ]May  12,  J.  B.  AVheeler.  a  i)ioneer  resident  and  one  of 
the  city's  leading  citizens.  pr(>}i(ised  to  the  mayor  and  city 
council  to  donate  to  the  city  forty- four  acre's  (>f  his  land  sit- 
uated along  the  north  side  (,>f  the  Canadian  River  uumediately 
south  of  the  city,  to  he  used  for  park  purposes.  The  con- 
tract he  presented  provided  that  the  city  should  expend  .-rL'.OOU 
a  year  during  the  succeeding  ti^-e  years  in  improving  and 
beautifying  the  tract,  that  no  intoxicating  liquors  should  ever 
be  sold  thereon,  and  that  it  sht>uld  be  knoAvn  as  Wheeler  Park. 
The  council  indicated  that  the  contract  was  acceptable  and 
the  mayor  took  steps  to  have  a  park  commission  created. 

Efforts  were  renewed  during  the  year  to  get  an  api)roin-ia- 
tion  by  Congress  for  a  Federal  building.  J.  W.  Hunt  was 
selected  to  represent  the  city  before  Congress  and  the  bi-iid' 
that  was  prepared  for  his  use  showed  that  during  the  year 
ending  June  HO,  1901,  the  post  office  receipts  had  amounted  to 
$36,041,  and  that  this  was  $2,644  more  than  the  receipts  r(ir 
that  year  of  the  jiost  offices  at  Cuthrie  and  El  Reno  combined. 

An  oi'ganization  designed  to  assist  in  the  promotion  and 
location  of  factories  and  otlu^r  industrial  entei-prises  was 
formed  with  a  capital  sU>rk  of  $50,000.  A  dozen  or  more 
jiromincnt  men  took  stock.  Dr.  John  Threadgill  was  electeil 
president.  George  (lardner,  vice  ])rcsident;  J.  M.  Owen,  sec- 
retary, and  J.  L.  AVilkin  treasurer.  A.  TI.  Classen  and  ( r.  (i. 
Sohlbeni'  Avere  members  (d'  the  board  of  directors.  ,;r   - 


Of  a  visit  to  Oklahoma  of  the  Senate  C(,nnnittee  on  Te 
rit(U'ies  this  }-eai'.  Mr.  Thobui-n  has  written  :  "Tlie  Coinmitti 
on  Territories  tra\'eliug  on  a  special  train  on  the  Daidiand 


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238  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Division  of  the  Santa  Fe  Railway,  entered  Oklahoma  unan- 
nounced, on  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  November  22,  1902. 
Brief  stops  were  made  at  ^^'oodward  and  Alva,  whence  tele- 
grams were  sent  to  Guthrie,  Oklahoma  Oity  and  pt)Ssibly  other 
jjuints.  Tlie  telegram  addressed  to  the  Oklahoma  City  Com- 
mercial Club  was  very  brief,  merel}'  announcing  that  the 
Senate  Conunittee  on  Territories  would  arrive  in  Oklahoma 
City  at  4  P.  M.  the  next  day  (Sunday;.  This  intelligence  was 
immediately  ti-ansmitted  from  Oklahoma  City  to  the  friends 
and  leaders  of  the  single  statehood  movement  in  many  towns 
in  both  Oklahoma  and  Indian  territories,  with  invitation  to 
send  delegations  to  meet  the  members  of  the  committee.  But, 
in  this,  Oklahoma  City  almost  reckoned  without  its  iiost  be- 
cause of  a  change  in  the  jjrogTam  which  the  members  of  the 
committee  were  induced  to  make  after  arriving  in  Guthrie. 

"The  committee's  special  train  arrived  at  Guthrie  about 
midnight  and  expected  to  remain  thei'e  until  time  to  start  to 
Oklahoma  City  the  next  afternoon.  The  members  of  the  com- 
mittee were  met  and  persuaded  that  it  would  be  best  to  hold 
but  one  hearing  for  both  territories  and  that  at  Guthrie.  In 
order  to  let  them  sec  something  of  the  country  in  the  two 
territories,  it  was  also  pro]iosed  that  their  train  should  pro- 
ceed to  Oklahoma  City  early  the  following  morning,  make  a 
brief  stop  there  and  thence  go  east  on  the  Rock  Island  to 
Shawnee  and  McAlester;  thence  north  on  the  Missouri,  Kan- 
sas &  Texas  to  Muskogee  and  ^Vagoner;  thence  over  the  Iron 
Mountain  to  Clareniore:  thence  back  to  Oklahoma  City  on 
the  St.  Louis  &  San  Francisco  and  return  to  Guthrie  Monday 
morning.  AVhen  the  Senatorial  Conunittee  arri\ed  in  Okla- 
homa City  at  an  early  hour  Sunday  niurning,  pi'actically  un- 
heralded, save  for  the  lu'ief  announcement  in  the  morning 
papers,  there  was  dismay  among  the  a(h"o(-ates  of  single  state- 
hood. They  had  not  been  outgeneraled — they  had  just  been 
'scooped,'  with  no  cliani-t'  tn  present  their  side  of  the  case, 
and  they  wer(^  dunild'diuidcd  when  Scnatoi'  Beveridge  assured 
them  that  it  luul  all  been  arrang(Ml  and  agreed  that  there 
shoidd  be  but  one  general  hearing  for  the  people  of  both  teri-i- 
tories  and  that  it  should  be  held  at  Cuthrie.  The  heavy  dou.ls 
whence  fell  intermittent  showei's  dnrini;- the  day,  eoiild  s(-areel>- 
add  to  the  uloom  wliieli  pi-e\ailed  in  Oklahoma  Cltv  as  the 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  dTY  239 

Scii.-itf  ( "oiinnittee's  sj)C'cial  train  departed  for  Sliawiiee.  But, 
tvni  as  (.-very  cloud  is  said  to  have  a  silver  lining,  so  there  were 
a  f .  \v  sjiarks  of  optimism  unextinguished  in  the  group  -which 
-atlii-red  for  eonsultation  at  the  Lee  Hotel  shortly  afterward. 
'I'lic  one  question  ujjpermost  in  every  mind  was  that  of  tinding 
-Miiir  plan  by  means  of  which  the  Senatorial  Committee  eould 
!.<■  iii(lui;ed  to  change  its  plan  and  hold  part  of  its  hearings 
in  Oklahoma  City  on  the  following  day.  Various  expedients 
were  suggested  and  rejected.  Finally,  one  man  present  said 
he  liclieved  he  could  write  a  telegram  that  would  keep  the 
xiiators  in  Oklahoma  City  part  of  the  day.  'Let  us  see  it,' 
\v;is  the  instant  response  from  several  quarters.  "When  the 
telegram  was  written,  it  read  thus: 

"  'Oklaho-Ma  City,  Nov.  23,  1902. 
••  •  Ho.x.  A.  J.  BEVRRmcE,  Chairman. 
Senate  Conunittee  on  Territories, 
South  McAlester,  lud.  Ter., 

"'Sir: — South  McAlester,  ^luskogee,  Vinita,  Claremore, 
Tulsa.  Sajjulpa,  Chandler,  Wewoka,  Holdenville,  Shawnee, 
Tecumseli,  Xormau,  Lexington,  Purcell,  Pauls  Valley, 
Wyniiewood.  Davis,  Ardmore,  Chickasha,  Lawton,  ^Maugiun, 
llohart.  Anadarko  and  Oklahoma  City  delegations  respect- 
fully Init  insistently  urge  that  they  be  accorded  a  hearing  in 
Oklahoma  City  tomorrow. 

"  '(Signed)   '" 

'•It  should  be  stated  that  there  were  not  actually  that  many 
delegations  in  sight  at  the  time  but  it  was  hoped  that  there 
might  lie  within  a  few  hours.  Late  that  night  a  telegram  came 
froui  Senator  Beveridge  saying:  "'Will  endeavor  to  hold  brief 
bearing  in  Oklahoma  T'ity,  t<imori-o\v.  though  nothing  is  cer- 
tain.' Ivirly  the  next  morning  a  second  message  came  from 
biiu  .<aying:  'Arrive  in  Oklahoma  City  at  9  A.  :\[..  leave  f.u- 
<iut]H'ie  at  11  A.  :\f.'  And  so  there  was  a  healing  held  in 
Oklahoma  City.  The  members  of  the  conunittee  agreed  to 
take  the  testimou}'  of  the  mayor  and  ]>resident  of  the  connner- 
eial  organization  and  two  whoh'sah^  mei'cliants  of  ()klahoma 
<'ity  and  of  one  spokc'-man  from  ivach  of  the  visiting  delega- 
tions. (Fortunatelv  for  tlie  (•(.nmiittee.  there  were  fewer  del- 
•  •u.-itioiis  ])resent  than  mi^ht  have  been  e\-]iecte(l  from  the 
statement  containe<l  in  the  foreuoinu  teh'urani. )    Tt  was  neaii\- 


U-r.  ;■  . •<}■?<;  -.tiuiU  ].,(:. li    ...I    ■        •;  .r-  :■    "  ';  I.-n-ulji;- 

■;Mi:  :  't  't'.  It.'r  >^i;7/  iiKJiu  •,  rtV.i  Lli  j -.<'.;<(•[  •  mu.,  .,irr 

:>{■>}■  f/iiih       in')    :..iXuj;JU_i<'.    ''ill    fi.i(.-7    1-      -         ■     ■       m    ,:j;l(j   .,|,|n- 

,,  .-:      'i!    :<>    'm:.[  Moil  |ia;i  u;mm   --'U   ■.•:ii.;i' >  mJ  b'j-MjJ.iii   •..! 

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)   :;:.;    .M.l. 


,:.'.i  'l' 


240  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITV 

noon  when  the  hearing-  was  (Munpleted  and  it  was  half  an 
honr  after  noon  ])efoi-e  their  special  train  got  nnder  way  for 
Gntlirie.  The  stay  of  the  committee  at  Gnthrie  was  even 
more  brief  than  the  one  at  Okhdionia  City,  as  the  special  train 
departed  from  the  territorial  capital  at  3:30  o'clock." 


•ic't  "ivn 


i,.<!l   ^.'ij    ir-ilv/  ii<K>(i 


190;J— IX  EAKXE8T  ABOUT  STATEHOOD 

A  statcliuod  cuiiveiitiuii  held  in  Okkiliniiia  <Jity  on  January 
6  this  year  was  the  most  largely  attended  antl  the  iiK.ist  en- 
thusiastic of  all  meetings  to  that  date  held  in  thi'  jieople'.s 
l)ursuit  of  self  g(.A-ernment.  it  ^•oh•e(l  the  keynote  of  future 
activities  of  that  pursuit  during  the  year.  It  was  a  year  of 
enlightenment  for  Congress  and  for  the  Nation.  Tlie  sub- 
ject of  statehood  was  among  the  paraniouut  suhjeets  in  W'ash- 
ingto]i,  and  of  Xew  York  e\'en.  for  men  of  the  Empire  State 
were  coming  to  Oklahoma  in  eonsiderahle  muuhers  and  in- 
vesting millions. 

This  convention  drew  together  more  men  of  ]>romiuen<-e 
than  an}-  of  its  predecessors.  Eive  thousaud  persons  were 
assembled.  Ex-(io\ei-nor  ^\'.  M.  Jeu];ius  was  coiisjiicuous 
among  the  leaders.  Henry  ^1.  Eurman.  afterward  a  member 
of  the  Criminal  Court  (d'  Apjieals  uf  the  new  state,  repre- 
sented Ada.  ^y.  H.  p.  Trudgeon.  a  repuldican  wlieelhoise  of 
Purcell,  represented  a  section  of  the  ('hicka^aw  Nation.  AV. 
L.  Alexander,  a  jtioneer  nf  the  city  who  had  drawn  a  home- 
stead in  Kiowa  <_'ounty.  was  a  dcdegate  from  his  section  of 
the  new  countr_\-.  A\'o(.ds  County  wa^  represeiite(l  by  .Jesse 
•J.  ])n)ni  (d'  Al\-a.  a  democratic  leader,  a  lawyei'  <d'  di-tinctiou. 
and  aftei'  statehood  a  nieiuiier  id'  the  hrst  Supreme  ( 'ourt. 
Thomas  J.  Leahy,  a  young  lawyei'  and  l>usine<s  man  of  action. 
who  afterwards  was  accounted  oue  of  the  state's  most  us(d'nl 
citizens,  brouglit  gri'ctin.us  from  the  rich  lands  (d'  tlie  Osages. 
■\Villiam  Ti-hlman.  the  marshal  and  the  celebrated  foe  .d'  out- 
laws, was  in  the  delegation  from  Chandler.  In  tlie  Noble 
County  group  were  dud^e  Thomas  Doyle,  a  political  leatlef 
<d'  pi-onnnence  who  after  statehood  ^^"as  for  nianv  years  a 
mend)ei'(d'tlK'  Criminal  Coin-t  nf  Appeals,  and  \V.  M.  Dowles. 
afterward  a  district  jud-e  and  a  dcmo.-ratic  candidate  for 
governor  of  the  state.  W.  1).  Cardwdl.  an  eai-lx-day  jH^litical 
leader,  came  o\H'r  fi'om  AVeatherfor<l.  And  there  were  dozeU"- 
24] 


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242  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

of  other  men  fruiu  over  the  two  territories  wlio  were  trail- 
blazers  ill  their  coimmuiities  and  whose  names  subsequeutly 
were  linked  with  the  fortunes  of  the  new  Coniniomvealth. 
Bands  came  from  Duiu-an,  Muskogee  and  Chiekasha. 

In  the  caucus  of  the  Indian  Territory  delegation  Gideon 
Morgan  of  Ardniore  was  eleeted  ehairman  and  II.  B.  -Jolinsou 
of  Chiekasha,  secretary.  In  the  caucus  of  Oklahoma  Terri- 
tory C.  B.  Ames  was  elected  chairman  and  R.  E.  Stafford,  sec- 
retary. John  Palmer,  an  educated  and  intiuential  member  of 
the  Osage  Indian  tril:»e,  was  elected  president  of  the  conven- 
tion and  Jesse  Dunn  of  Alva,  secretary.  The  resolutions 
adopted  declared  the  delegates  favored  a  statehood  bill  in- 
ti'oduced  by  Senator  Nelson.  The  convention  elected  a  new 
campaign  committee  consisting  of  C.  B.  Ames,  Roy  Hoffman 
of  Chandler,  Thomas  Doyle  of  Perry.  W.  II.  P.  Trudgeou  of 
Purcell,  W.  A.  Ledbetter  of  Ardniore  and  W.  H.  Ilutchins. 
The  committee  went  almost  immediately  t<)  Washington  and 
it  returned  January  20  with  the  discouraging  message  that 
the  passage  of  the  statehood  bill  that  winter  was  very  un- 
likely. 

On  April  29,  wliich  was  the  one  hundredth  annivei-sary  of 
the  Louisiana  Pur<-hase,  and  in  commemoration  of  that  event, 
a  local  organization  of  statcdiood  workers  consisting  of  C.  B. 
Ames,  A.  H.  Classen,  M.  L.  Turner,  H.  H.  Howard,  Lee  Van- 
Winkle,  J.  W.  John-^on,  R.  E.  Staff'ord  and  others,  sent  to 
C.  E.  Castle  of  Wagoner,  ehairman  of  the  Single  Statehood 
Executive  Committee,  a  formal  request  that  he  issue  a  call 
for  a  meeting  of  the  committee  to  consider  the  advisabilit}-  of 
calling  a  Constitutional  Convention.  Chairman  Castle  re- 
sponded almost  inunediately  and  sent  a  call  to  memljers  of 
the  committee  to  meet  in  Oklahoma  City  on  ^lay  2').  The 
committee  met  on  that  date  but  refrained  from  issuing  a 
call  for  a  Constitutional  Convention,  choosing  rather  to  sub- 
mit the  matter  to  the  people.  AVhereupon  the  <-hnirman  issued 
a  call  for  a  delegate  statehood  convention  to  meet  in  Shawnee 
on  June  24.  The  call  asked  for  400  delegates  from  each  of 
the  territories.  Oklahoma  City  in  due  time  selected  a  dele- 
gation of  sixty-three,  of  which  Seymour  Heyman  was  elected 
chairman  and  R.  E.  Staff'ord,  secretary.  The  Shawnee  con- 
vention was  well  attended.    It  was  enthusiastic  l)Ut  unusuallv 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  OITY  243 

deliberative.  The  propositidii  uf  eiilliny  a  Coiistitutitmal  Cuu- 
veution  was  \'uted  dtAvii  and  the  delegates  concluded  to  make 
another  effort  to  secure  action  by  Congress.  An  exhaustive 
resolution  setting  forth  the  claims  of  the  people  was  adopted 
and  a  eonnnittee,  consisting  of  C.  B.  Ames,  H.  G.  Beard  of 
Shawnee,  C.  B.  Douglas,  of  Muskogee  and  ^V.  A.  hedbetter 
of  Ardmore,  was  appointed  to  present  the  resolution  to  Con- 
gress. In  the  i^reliininary  organization  of  the  Shawnee  con- 
vention Robert  W.  Dick  of  Ardmoie.  wIk)  in  later  years  was 
an  oil  operator  and  prominent  property  owner  in  Oklahoma 
City,  was  chosen  chairman  of  the  Indian  Territory  caucus. 

Later  in  the  year  the  new  Statehood  ExecutiA'c  Committee 
met  in  Oklahoma  City  and  C.  G.  Jones  was  elected  chairman, 
Seymour  Ileynian,  vice  chairman;  C.  E.  Castle,  secretary, 
and  A.  H.  Classen,  treasurer.  The  committee  invested  itself 
w^ith  authority  to  write  a  statehood  Ijill  to  be  introduced  in 
Congress  in  the  autumn. 

Under  its  new  constitution  the  Chamber  of  Connnerce 
early  in  the  year  set  about  the  business  of  city  Iniilding  with 
enthusiasm  and  vigor.  President  Heyman  aijjxiinted  chair- 
men of  the  several  committees  as  follows :  Agriculture,  parks 
and  roads,  "W.  S.  Guthrie;  entertainment,  Henry  ^[.  Scales; 
advisory,  A.  H.  Classen;  arbitration,  Sol  Barth;  auditing,  G. 

B.  Stone;  education,  Jasper  Sipes;  house,  C.  ^I.  Strong;  mer- 
cantile and  library,  X.  E.  Butcher;  membership.  R.  E.  Cha- 
pin;  manufactories,  D.  F.  Harness;  municipal  legislation,  M. 

C.  Milner;  railroads,  AV.  F.  Harn;  state  and  national  legisla- 
tion, John  Sliartel;  trade  extension.  Leo  VnnAVinkle;  trans- 
jwrtation.  Buran  House.  John  R.  Rose,  who  was  eini>loyed 
temporarily  as  secretary,  two  months  later  was  elected  per- 
manently to  the  position  on  a  salary  of  ^iGo  a  month,  out  of 
which  he  was  to  pay  a  stenographer.  ]Mr.  Rose  had  talent 
for  the  Work  and  he  put  into  it  nuicli  enthusiasm  and  energy. 
These  attri])utes  were  especially  manifest  wlieu  he  assumed 
leadership  in  the  conduct  of  what  to  that  time  was  the  most 
extensive  trade  trip  the  business  men  had  made.  As  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  city  he  accompanied  a  delegation  of  Okla- 
mans  to  the  AVorld's  Fair  in  St.  Eouis  in  chai'ge  of  a  car 
of  agricidtural  ]iroducts  that  had  been  assembled  hy  Ewers 
'White,  chairman. 


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244  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

At  the  la.st  i'urnial  niectiny  of  the  Chauiher  of  Coinnieree 
iu  Deceinbei-  (lireetors  for  the  f(illi>wiii,t;'  year  were  elected  as  | 

follows:    Seymour  ileyinaii,  T.  F.  .McMeehan.  (i.  (i.  Sohll)erg,  ! 

Weston  Atwood.  Lee  VanWinkle,  J.  B.  Murphy,  II.  X.  Leoii- 
avd,  Dr.  A.  K.  West,  V.  V.  Toppiu-  F.  S.  SparroAv.  A.  H. 
Crews,  Jasper  8ipes,  Georgt'  (iarduer.  and  1.  M.  Putnam. 
The  directors  chose  .Mr.  SoiiUx'i-'  prt^sident.  Mr.  McMechan, 
vice  president;   ^li\  Ixose,   secretary,   and   Weston   Atwood,  j 

treasure]'.  I 

"With  Fort  Sill  less  than  100  nules  away,  the  ( 'hamher  of  '| 

Commerce   found  avaihd)le   foi'  entertainment   }iurposes  of-  i 

ficers  and  men  stationed  there,  and  when  a   program  was  | 

being  arranged  for  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Oklahoma  lAyo-  | 

stock  Association,  Lieut.  Col.  Charles  ^Morton  permitted  the  ' 

Twenty-ninth  Battt'ry  (d'  Artillery  and  Troops  A  and  I)  of  the 
Eighth  Cavalry  to  he  sechedukd  for  the  parade.  They  came 
vdth  full  marching  equipment,  the  Lattery  in  conuaand  of 
Capt.  E.  E.  Goyle,  Troop  A  in  connnand  of  Capt.  C.  AV. 
Farl)er,  and  Troop  D  in  connnand  of  Captain  Donaldson. 
Colonel  Mortoii  himself  also  ti>ok  i)art  in  the  i>arade  and  other 
festivities.    The  convention  brought  20,000  visitors  here.  Tliey  i 

were  welcomed  l\v  .Mayiu-  Jones  and  officials  of  the  Chamber.  | 

and  so  well  were  they  entiutained  that  the  association  mem-  I 

bers  voted  to  hold  the  next  annual  meeting  here.  j 

Some  subsidiai'y  organizations  (d'  the  Chamber  (d'  Com- 
merce were  organized  this  year.  Among  them  was  the  Asso- 
ciation for  the  Promotion  (d'  llnnie  Industries,  of  which  Sey- 
mour ileyiuaii  was  elected  jiresident,  A.  S.  Connellee.  vice 
president.  S.  C.  Powei's.  secretary,  and  ^Veston  Atwood. 
treasure]'.  It  was  I'epresentatixt'  of  the  Ti'ades  Association 
and  the  Manufactui-ers  Association  as  well  as  of  the  Chaml)er 
of  Conunerce.  Anotho'  was  the  Oklahoma  < 'ity  Keal  Kstate 
Association,  (d'  Avhich  J.  ('.  Cillogly  was  elected  i)resideut. 
Joseph  Hess,  vice  jiresidcnt:  I.  M.  Lutnani,  secretary,  and 
A.  J.  A^ance.  tri-asuier.  Two  other  associations  became  affil- 
iated with  th.'  Chamber.  They  were  the  OklalK.ma  City  .\lan- 
ufacturei-s  Association,  which  at  its  aiuuial  meeting  elected 
A.  S.  Connellee  l)residellt.  1.  X.    Phelps  vice  president:  T.    D.  I 

Loydson.  secretary,  and  X.  S.  Sherman.  Jr..  treasurer,  and  |. 

the  ()klahom:t  Citv  Jobiiers  Associatii>n,  which  at  its  amuial  i 


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tup:  story  of  oklaiio.ma  city  247  1 

meeting  elected  Lee  VauWinkle  president,  J.  P.  Bn.ugh,  vice 
president,  J.  J.  llartnett,  seeretaiy,  and  Eugene  Miller,  tivas- 
urer.  The  latter  Ixidy  made  complaint  against  the  raili-(iads 
charging  them  with  maintaining  unfair  and  discriniinatory 
freight  rates,  which  resulted  in  the  Chanihcr  later  Imlding  a 
mass  meeting  to  voice  a  protest  of  all  shii)ping  interest^. 

The  county  connnissioners  in  January  (d'  this  year  i)ur-  1 

chased  from  Alh-n  M.  Noyes  and  Clarence  O.  Kusscll  twelve  j 

lots  as  a  site  for  a  county  courthouse  and  ^ail,  i)aying  tlierefor  .; 

$4,000.  The  lots  were  described  as  being  situated  between 
Main  Street  and  Grand  Avenue  and  Walker  and  Colcord 
Avenues.    The  conmiissioners  proposed  the  erection  of  a  court  \ 

house  to  cost  $150,000.  j 

Mayor  Jones,  then  ijresident  of  the  company  that  Iniilt  i 

the  southwestern  extension  of  the  F]-isco  Railroad,  took  mem-  i- 

bcrs  of  the  city  council  and  "W.  T.  Hale  as  his  guests  to  St.  | 

Louis,  traveling;  in  his  iirivate  car.  Wanderer.    Tlie\-  were  en-  t 

tertained  by  ^layor  AVells  and  B.  F.  Yoakum,  pi-esident  of  • 

the  Frisco,  and  newspaper  account  of  the  visit  i-elated  that  the 
party  visited  and  inspected  a  breweiy. 

The  growing  influence  and  power  of  ]Mr.  Jones  in  both  { 

politics  and  business  and  the  extension  of  his  activities  into  | 

newc]'  and  wider  fields  made  him  a  victim  of  eumit\-,  and  | 

perhaps  of  jealousy,  among  some  business  interests,  but  more  1 

particularly  among  leaders  of  his  political  party.    The  influ-         ■  ; 

ence  of  his  opponents  was  made  manifest  in  the  spring  city  i 

campaign,  and,  although  he  actively  sought  the  I'enonunation  I 

for  mayor,  he  was  defeated.     The   nominee   was   tlu'   Kew  \ 

Thomas  H.  Harper,  pastor  of  the  Pilgrim  Congregational  j 

Church,  who  made  an  active  j^ersoual  and  speaking  campaign         |  i 

in  which  he  advocated  measures  of  reform  that  had  been  in  s 

the  minds  of  forward-looking  pioneers  for  a  numl)er  of  years.  \ 

The  nomination  of  a  preacher  was  another  of  many  unusual  \ 

things  characterizing  the  practices  of  these  peculiar  people.  .  j 

who  had  ;d)andont>d  the  climes  of  the  major  points  of  the  | 

conitiass  and  alxdished  sectional  antau'ouism,  and  who  had  a  '■ 

ha])py.  original  and  refreshing  way  of  doing  things  l)y  their  -  ; 

own    excliisi\-e    i>atterns.      F\-eryliody    watched    the    iHipular  '  ' 

])reai-lier-politicinn.  In  the  seo'et  cam]i  of  the  enemies  i.f 
■I'efoi'm  no  special   fault  was  found  with  him,  sn\-e  the  ]ios- 


:■-':-  /  ;  :  '  .  :  ■ ':i;'..l>fit  mo  -cur-':  mht 

->!•■;•(!   •iMlli!/'  -xi'.';!  1!  Ijiiij  ,7-t!:]-j-ri  '  ■  .■     ..Jij.I!  >-iii 

>f.'i;(i!'  Ill  •,]';   tj-ni  ;•  :.   tiliiilifiil-    >  'ihr.m  vhod   i  ..uj 

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248  THE  STORY  OK  OKLAIIO.MA  (  iTY 

sibility  uf  his  being  a  hai-biugfi-  if  uut  au  actual  fdrcruiiiKT 
of  day  of  depression  for  the  saloon  keejier.  Doubtless  he  had 
a  premonition  of  irksome  responsibility  wlieu  lie  ehose  for 
his  seinion  text  for  the  following  Sunday  morning,  "Thy  soul 
shall  be  lequired  of  thee."  But  this  was  a  democratie  year 
and  Lee  Yan^^'iukle.  a  former  mayor,  was  elected  by  a  com- 
fortable majority. 

The  retirement  of  Mayor  Jones  was  an  occasion  of  coffee, 
sandwiches  and  cigars,  speeches  effulgent  of  good  will  and 
the  official  farewell  of  the  executi\e  who  said  he  bore  no  ill 
thoughts  against  his  opponents  and  Ijespoke  a  term  of  progress 
foi'  the  new  administration. 

Organization  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank,  forerunner  of 
the  Farmers  National  Bank  of  today,  was  perfected  this  year, 
and  it  was  the  ninth  banking  institution  for  the  city.  The 
capital  stock  was  .-^2.3, UOO  and  the  incorporatoi's  were  H.  X. 
Atkinson,  J.  X.  Ritchie,  J.  F.  Warren  and  C.  L.  Henley.  Dur- 
ing the  year  also  the  Oklahoma  City  Savings  Bank  was  con- 
solidated with  the  American  National  Bank.  E.  F.  Sparrow, 
who  had  recently  moved  down  from  Pawhuska  and  1)ecome  an 
official  of  the  Oklahoma  Packing  Company,  was  elected  presi- 
dent. Frank  P.  Johnson,  who  had  lieen  pi-esident  id'  the 
savings  bank,  was  elected  cashier  nf  the  American  Xationak 
Johnson  was  an  astute  and  alert  young  financier  who  five 
years  before  had  come  u])  from  ^lississi[)|)i  and  i)ronioted  the 
organization  of  the  Union  Trust  Company  which  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  savings  ])aiik.  Ceorge  0.  Soldberg,  the  nuller, 
was  elected  vice  presidimt.  Another  change  in  linancial  in- 
stitutions was  i)erfected  when  the  Oklahoma  Trust  &  Bank- 
ing Company  was  converted  into  the  Commei'cial  Xational 
Bank,  and  of  this  Di-.  John  Tln-cndgill  was  electt^d  ])resident. 
C.  F.  Colcord.  vice  ]. resident:  John  (\  Hughes,  cashier,  and 
Elmer  C.  T]-uel)]ood.  assistant  cashiei-.  During  the  year  the 
State  Xational  I'.ank  increased  its  capital  stock  from  *50.0!H) 
to  $200,000. 

A  contract  was  awarded  early  in  tlie  year  for  construction 
of  a  railroad  to  Coalgate.  This  enterprise  had  sujtix.rt  id'  the 
Missouri.  Kansas  it  Texas  Pailway  Company  and  the  road 
was  ])uilt  to  Atoka,  where  it  tapped  the  main  line  of  that 
com])auy  I)etween  St.  Louis  and  Texas.    Preliminary  arrange- 


i'Ti   .   /.  !■    '!!/..(  I'M)   •■lu   7;.!.''U   MiET  giS: 

<>"t  'j>.t»/!-«    wi  ti'i.'v/  7i(!M!>'.i  ,111  .!•>  itoj.i 

l<f">  ■_  !T       :n;:cu'.-i  vi.I.Kii.';  jiii,„A,.avi  '.uit  ■i..'1  f/'-j  ii,»aii'>d  <iiu 
1)    ./    -a.;      •  iH-/|j   )     '.j;- '    ■fill   JIfH      "'.'-tir  'id  bvlllip'ii     td  Uurife 

■"'•P!r/;i  I  ')td«,J'io't 

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:,     :l.   T     mI   -,1    Lij,^.  niJv/    vv/itc.    ..  ■)  '3i|-   1,     (I);.''.  ti,t  ii.I-'ifto  ■>!{} 

.(,'  'trvf  1   ;ii.i  ihfi  7^.(1  ')(It  -I'/t 

^    "..  ■■-  .■'■<    I   ,  .:m  '^    -if, J'-      i  ,:'i  ,      :    ■,-:,   ■'.,   .h>;r,;;w:jn^r(> 

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J)i til,! K.iL'^-  <ij 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  24"J 

meiits  WC4-C  l)fiiig-  made  in  Kansas  City  to  cuiistruct  the  Kan- 
sas City,  ^U'xico  it  Orient  Railway  Company's  line  tlivougli 
Oklahoma,  and  overtures  were  made  by  the  promoters  to  the 
Oklahoma  City  Cham))er  of  Conunerce.  Concessions  and  a 
bonus  were  oft'ered,  but  unfruitfully,  for  the  line  crossed  the 
western  part  of  the  territory. 

In  ]Mareh  the  First  Christian  Church  was  dedicated.  The 
building  and  lot  had  cost  $25,000  and  the  structure  probably 
was  among  the  most  modern  in  the  territory.  The  dedicatory 
sermon  was  delivered  by  Dr.  F.  ^M.  Kaines  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  The  Rev.  S.  D.  Dutcher  was  pastor  and  J.  H.  Everest 
was  chairman  of  the  board  of  directors.  On  September  20 
the  corner  stone  of  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church  was  laid  with 
Masonic  ceremony.  Bishop  F.  K.  Brotike  being  in  charge  of 
the  dedicator}'  program.  On  Octol)er  30  the  contract  was 
awarded  for  construction  of  the  First  Methodist  Church,  the 
cost  of  which  was  to  be  $40,000.  In  Api-il  the  coi-uer  stone 
of  the  administration  building  of  Epworth  University  was 
laid  with  im^jressive  ceremony.  Governor  Thompson  (i.  Fergu- 
son delivering  the  principal  address. 

On  Fel)iunry  7  The  Oklahoma  l*ublisliing  Com}»any  an- 
nounced that  iMlward  K.  Cayldrd  had  pui'cliascd  an  interest 
in  the  comi)any  and  been  elected  l)UsiiK'ss  manager  of  The 
Daily  Oklahoman.  In  a  few  years  the  pa})er  under  direrti<in 
chiefly  of  R.  E.  Stafford  has  become  without  (jUestion  tlu- 
most  influential  factor  in  the  development  of  the  city  and  the 
terj'itory.  It  was  now  metropDlitan  of  dress,  its  type  was 
set  on  machines  and  its  modern  presses  the  lioosting  inhal)- 
itants  liked  to  compare  witli  the  latest  that  Kansas  City  af- 
forded. Mr.  Caylord  entei'cd  vigorously  into  the  business  of 
the  i)ublishing  coni[>auy,  liriuging  fresher  ideas  from  metro- 
politan centers,  and  earnestly  into  the  fascinating  passion  for 
building  a  nieti-opolis  of  the  future  state.  Foi-  many  years 
the  teamwork'  of  Stafford  and  (iaylurd — stars  on  the  itin- 
nacles  of  ])rosperity — was  accounted  an  influence  incompar- 
able and  without  which,  or  an  equally  potent  contemi>orar>-. 
the  futui'e  of  th<'  city  would  ha\'e  been  insecure.  It  was  of 
small  concern  to  these  men  whether  minor  policii's  were  popu- 
lar; their  hearts  were  set  eniulativelv  on  those  iirouressive  vie- 


■u;    '^ft':  ir;-  ■-.;  f  >      ,■)•..  iMlfiliio' »    Jn    (mum;!:    >    *^  •' 

'     ')<■■■'.>):■■    Ml. I,      ill)    -tu'l     .7i:IJllJ'   •!  IClf!    3n('    ..'/■fl'.    1.  1 

h"ti,  ■■,  J.)  -  : .   :.!!,:;  '  1 .:'  '  ■■■■ '  - -r-i  -nU  .'-lyA^  ai 

;   -ill    '.    _r.\T      .      -^-l-;        '   ■■   it     ,      --.,[.,.■.    ;>.,i,),  'lilt  ;^lt..uf,,  vi.v; 

'._        •,■.,■;'     ;;ri        ..         !  .-    1    ;.     '  :;:■'■-'         M    1..    ;    . .:  IJI  1  r;i  !•>    ''.l.tf 

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250  THE  STORY  OF  (JKLAlIO.MA  CITY 

tories  of  great  American  municipalities  tliat  have  given  Amer- 
ica leadership  of  the  entire  world. 

Baseball  took  on  a  professional  aspect  this  year.  ]Man- 
ager  Frank  Quigg  of  the  Statehoods — which  was  the  name 
originally  given  the  city  team — carried  his  passion  for  a 
stemwinding  team  with  a  steniwinding  reputation  into  other 
coniinunities,  with  the  result  that  the  Southwestern  League 
was  organized.  In  it  were  cluljs  at  Oklahoma  City,  Arkansas 
City,  Shawnee  and  Enid.  Subsequently  plans  were  laid  to 
bring  CJuthrie.  AViehita.  Emporia  and  Salina  into  the  organi- 
zation. 

A  visitor  of  distinction  this  year  was  Ethan  Allen  Hitch- 
cock, Secretary  of  the  Intei-inr.  who  remained  over  for  a  day 
on  his  way  to  visit  the  new  towns  of  the  Kiowa  and  Comanche 
Indian  country.  He  was  entertained  otherwise  ))ut  impor- 
tantly as  a  guest  of  the  mayor  Avho  gratuitously  and  gra- 
ciously chartered  a  street  car  and  put  on  a  trolley  party.  The 
visit  of  Secretary  Hitchcock  was  significant,  for  residents  of 
the  new  country  were  almost  on  the  verge  of  doing  violence  to 
local  representatives  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior  lic- 
caiise  of  a]:)parently  unsi'^ndy  delays  of  the  department  in 
returning  town-lut  money  in  the  form  of  public  improve- 
ments as  had  1)een  promised.  He  returned  to  Washington 
with  a  proper  conception  of  the  requirements  of  the  new- 
country  residents  and  positive  that  Oklahoma  was  entitled  to 
become  a  state.  Hitchcock  exercised  nnu.sual  influence  in 
the  naticnial  administration  and  when  he  announced  in  "Wash- 
ington that  he  favored  innnediate  statehood  for  the  territory 
his  words  were  construed  by  senators  as  having  much  sig- 
nificance.    But  the  words  got  no  residts. 

When  June  rains  threatened  to  bring  floods  down  the 
Canadian  River,  as  they  had  done  l)efove  in  many  springs  and 
summers,  residents  of  the  lowlands  demanded  relief.  Where- 
upon the  Oklahoma  County  River  Improvement  Association 
was  formed  with  A.  J.  Henthorn  as  president  and  J.  A.  J. 
Baugus  as  secretary.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  solicit 
membersliii)s  and  funds  and  a  resolution  was  passed  memo- 
rializing Congi'css  to  make  an  aiiproi)riation  for  river  im- 
l)rovement. 

On  l)eeeml)er  10  the  Seeretarv  of  War  designated  Okla- 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  (  ITV  251 

homa  City  as  headquarters  for  otiieials  of  the  Southwestern 
military  district,  which  iiichided  Okhihoma,  Texas,  New  Mex- 
ico and  some  otlier  states.  The  choice  appears  to  have  l)een 
made  upon  recommendation  of  Lieutenant  ('oloiiel  Smith,  who 
had  been  sent  out  from  AN'ashinnton  for  that  }iur})ose.  lie 
chose  a  suite  of  eleven  rooms  in  the  Baltimore  IJuikling,  and 
on  January  15  of  the  next  year  Maj.  Gen.  S.  S.  Sunnier  was 
placed  in  charye.  General  Sumner  soon  was  enamored  of  the 
life  he  found  in  the  newest  section  of  the  Southwest,  shortly 
grew  fond  of  the  worthwhile  people,  and  took  an  active  part 
in  the  civic,  social  and  conniiercial  life  nf  the  city.  Earlier  in 
the  year  the  Oklahoma  ^Lilitary  Institute  liad  l)ceu  estalt- 
lished,  imder  permission  of  the  Secretary  of  \\';\i\  with  Gapt. 
James  S.  Bruett  in  chariie. 

Othei'  events  of  the  year  were  the  vdtinu'  of  .-^100.000  in 
bonds  to  ei'ect  a  county  courthouse:  the  appoiutniciit  of  .Mark 
H.  Kesler  of  Guthrie  as  chief  of  the  tire  deiiai-tmeut ;  serious 
disciission  of  a  bond  issue  of  $350,000  for  water  extensions;  a 
baby  show  at  Delmar  Garden,  in  charge  of  Seymour  Heyman 
and  at  which  E.  E.  Brown,  John  Diblde  (said  to  have  been 
extremely  bashful)  and  W.  R.  Taylor,  l)achelors  all.  acted 
as  judges;  announcement  of  0.  A.  Mitscher,  a  former  resi- 
dent of  the  city  who  had  been  appointed  Indian  Agent  at 
Pawhuska,  that  he  was  going  to  AVashiugton  t<i  make  an 
effort  to  get  Osage  lands  allotted. 

A  writer  of  this  ])eriod  said  of  Mayoi'  A'anA\'inkle:  "As 
mayor  of  Oklahoma  City  ^Nlr.  VarAVinkle  won  for  himself  the 
thanks  and  good  will  of  all  the  honest  people  for  his  able  and 
determined  tight  for  clean,  wholesome  administratinn  of  ci\i(- 
atfairs.  Tt  will  be  recalled  that  at  one  time  he  bi'ought  alxuit 
the  indictment  of  six  out  of  ten  members  of  his  city  council 
for  imbecoming  conduct,  known  liy  a  mure  familial-  name  as 
grafting.  His  administrations  can  be  accei)t(Ml  as  the  point 
of  origin  for  practically  all  the  better  public  impro\-enients 
such  as  paving,  before  the  close  of  liis  second  term  had  gi\-en 
Oklahoma  City  more  miles  of  paved  streets  than  almost  any 
city  in  the  Southwest,  and  also  the  establishment  of  a  mu- 
nicipally owned  waterworks  system. 

"Aside  from  liis  vronvd  of  publi,-  s.Tvi<-e.  AFr.  VanAVinkle 
has  for  a  number  of  years  l)een  prominent  in  mamifai-turing 


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252  TIIK  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  ! 

and  kmilx'r  circles  in  Oklaliuuia.  and  is  also  one  of  the  leading- 
Masons  in  the  state. 

"E.  E.  Lee  VanAVinkle  was  Ixnn  at  A'anAVinkle's  :\Iills 
in  Benton  County,  Arkansas,  July  17,  18G3.  He  acfjuired  his 
early  education  in  the  home  schools  and  in  the  University  of 
Arkansas,  and  grew  up  in  the  rugged  surroundings  of  the 
timber  covered  district  of  Northwest  Arkansas.  The  home 
school  which  he  attended  was  built  and  maintained  by  his 
father  foi-  a  number  of  years.     Four  of  the  sons  had  been  | 

taught  by  private  tutors  in  the  home  piior  to  the  establish-  | 

ment  of  this  school  which  was  also  attended  by  other  children  ^'■ 

in  the  connnunity.  j 

"From  early  boyhood  ^Nlr.  VanWinkle  has  been  acquainted  | 

with  the  technical  side  of  lumbering,  gained  by  experience  in  \" 

his  father's  null.    For  twelve  years  after  leaving  school  he  h 

was  in  the  retail  lumber  l)usiness,  and  then  turned  his  atten-  ! 

tion  to  wholesale  lumliering  and  manufacturing.  In  1896  ]Mr. 
\'an Winkle  organized  the  Okhihoma  Sash  &  Door  (.'ompany. 
and  s('i'\cd  as  its  president  and  managei'  until  1904.  In  that 
year  he  disjjoscd  of  his  interests,  and  has  since  made  the  whole- 
sale ]»usincss  the  ol)ject  of  liis  attention,  and  is  at  the  head  of 
the  A'anAVinkh'  Lunil)er  ('omi>any,  with  offices  in  the  Lee 
Building  at  Oklahoma  City.  He  still  holds  some  extensive 
interests  in  mamifacturing  and  wholesale  concerns  in  the  tim- 
ber belts  of  Arkansas." 


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190J— IX  BIB  zVXI)  TUCKER  AT  ST.  BOI'IS 

So  adiaiiably  did  the  city  distinguish  hersulf  at  the  J.ouis- 
iana  Purchase  Exposition  iu  St.  Louis  this  year  that  one  .Mr. 
Buulvcr,  a  ineinljer  of  the  City  Comieil,  retnniiiiL;  home  witli 
uiLsui)prcssal)le  enthusiasm,  conceived  the  notion  that  within 
twelve  years  Olclahoma  City  could  teacli  the  woild  a  lesson  or 
so  in  exhihitions  and  he  asked  the  council  to  take  pi-eliniinary 
action  to  that  end.  The  city,  indeed,  had  made  a  creditahle 
showing  at  St.  Louis;  more  creditable  iierhaps  than  many 
other  cities  of  .several  times  its  in'oportions  within  the  Ijoun- 
daries  of  the  Louisiana  purchase.  The  inha))itants  had  be- 
come so  accustomed  to  "selling"  the  city  wherever  and  when- 
ever oceasion  chanced  along,  or  was  deliberately  madt',  tliat 
they  looked  upon  the  St.  Louis  ente]'i)rise  as  a  sort  of  I'ore- 
ordained  event. 

It  was  accorded  one  of  the  lirst  lionoi's  l)est(AVed  l)y  the 
exposition  conqtany  when  a  portrait  of  ^liss  .Mildred  .\birrow 
was  imprinted  (»n  the  first  season  tickets  the  comitany  issut'd. 
The  company  neglected  to  print  her  nanu'  and  place  of  resi- 
dence and  the  history  of  her  home  town  upon  the  admittance 
slip,  and  Oklahoma  City  overcame  tlie  unintentional  if  not 
almost  unjiardonable  slight  l)y  supjilying  the  i-ound  world 
with  the  mi>sing  information.  ]Miss  Morrow  was  a  daughter 
of  J.  S.  .Mori'ow,  a  pioneer  grocer  and  at  that  time  a  retired 
capitaHst  of  Oklahoma  City. 

Se]iteml)er  oth  was  Oklahoma  Cit>-  Day  at  the  Ivxposition, 
had  been  so  ordered  and  ad\'('rtised  by  the  e.\]iosition  coui- 
l)any.  It  was  observed  with  one  ot  those  characteristic  gettiug- 
on-the-mai)  i)rograms.  formal  at  tlie  beginning,  hilarious  at 
the  ending.  John  AV.  Xoble.  a  former  secretary  of  the  inte- 
rior, who  had  accepted  an  invitation  extended  I)y  O.  1 ).  llalsell. 
chaii man  (.f  the  World's  Eair  ( 'bib  of  tlie  ( 'liamlier  of  ( 'oui- 
merce,  (leli\'ei-e(l  the  princi]ial  address,  scmi-oliicially  and  witli 
the  enthusiasm  and  adjt'cti\es  of  an  adopte(l  son.  Uepresen- 
2:.:i 


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254  THE  STORY  (»K  OKLAHOMA  OITY 

tati\e.s  of  tlie  Apollo  ('hih,  an  organization  of  forty  young 
business  and  professional  men,  under  leadersliip  of  J.  E. 
CraAvford,  furnished  the  choicest  nnisic  of  the  occasion.  The 
address  of  welcome  was  deli\'ered  by  Mayor  RoUa  Wells  of 
St.  Louis  and  rt'sjionses  were  made  on  l)ehalf  of  the  Territory 
by  Governor  T.  J3.  Ferguson,  and  of  (Oklahoma  City  by  ^layor 
Lee  VauWinkle  and  ^Miss  ^liriam  Richardson.  A  i>ot'm  wiit- 
tcn  and  dedicated  to  the  city  by  Frank  1^.  Stanton  was  lead. 
It  was  entitled  Atlanta's  (Jreeting  to  Oklahoma  City,  and  it 
follows : 

A  welcome  that  riiigs  from  Atlanta, 

From  the  green  hills  that  sigh  for  the  sea; 

To  the  city  that  looms 

As  fi'om  wilderness  glooms — 
A  star  on  the  flag  of  the  free. 

She  came  to  us  crtjwned  with  her  sixteen  bright  years. 

And  we  gave  her  a  Godsend  and  sixteen  glad  cheers. 

A  welcome,  the  heart  thrills  to  say  it;         . 

Wave  flags  over  tower  and  wall, 
^lake  nuisic,  blitlu'  drums;  i    . 

Like  a  robed  queen  she  comes  . 

To  the  echoing  liearts  of  us  all. 
On  the  bright  path  nf  progi-ess  she  Idazes  h(>r  way  ' 
And  makes  of  wild  winter  a  dream  of  a  day. 

A  welcome;  her  heavens  ai'e  lighted 

With  stars  of  tlu'  liberty  gleam. 
For  her  the  liells  are  ringing. 
For  her  the  stars  are  sinuing. 

And  the  woiid  is  the  light  ef  the  dream. 
She  conies  ci'owned  with  hopes — like  a  queen  she  a])p(.'ars. 
And  we  give  her  all  glory  and  sixteen  glad  cheers. 

Credit  for  the  success  of  the  Oklahoma  City  exjxisition  en- 
ter])rise  probably  should  lie  L;iven  more  to  K.  S.  Rockwell  than 
to  any  other  single  indi\-idual.  He  was  secretary  id'  the  Okla- 
homa City  exposition  organization  and  devoted  vii'tiially  all 
of  his  time  to  the  didies  of  it  f<n-  manv  months.     His  labors 


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OKLAHOMA  CITY  (.Ol.F   ANIJ  roLXTl;V  (ll' 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  257 

dovetailed  liannoiiiously  into  those  of  Finl  L.  Weiniei'.  svt-iv- 
tai'v  of  the  Okhihuma  Workl'-s  Fair  ( '(•inniissioii. 

C.  A.  MeXal)h,  one  of  the  early-day  ai;ricultnral  enthusiasts 
of  the  Territory  and  by  the  same  token  one  of  its  must  useful 
citizens,  was  sui)erintendent  of  the  Oklahoma  exhihit.  In  the 
selection  and  exhibition  of  a.^rieultural  ])roducts  he  was  as- 
sisted by  Joseph  B.  Thoburn,  then  secretary  of  the  Tciritorial 
Board  of  Agriculture.  George  E.  Gardner,  manager  of  the 
Lion  Store,  offered  a  prize  for  the  best  agricultural  ilispla\- 
in  the  exhibit.  This  offer  inflneuced  the  sending  of  many 
products  from  both  of  the  Territories. 

The  year  opened  with  prospects  bright  for  the  passage  of 
a  statehood  bill  and  entlmsia.sm  over  the  dissemination  of 
proj^aganda  and  the  maintaining  of  a  lobby  in  "Wasliington 
was  warm  in  January  and  showed  high  temperature  in  De- 
cember. The  first  local  organization  of  statehood  advocates, 
formed  in  January,  arranged  to  send  as  a  delegation  to  Wash- 
ingion,  C.  B.  Ames.  C.  G.Jones,  A.  H.  Classen,  Selwyn  Doug- 
las, Samuel  ^lurphy.  Judge  John  McAfee,  D.  C.  Lewis,  T)r. 
John  Threadgill,  c".  F.  Colcord,  J.  L.  Wilkin,  E.  E.  Brown, 
R.  E.  Stafford  and  Judge  J.  E.  Keaton. 

]Meml)ers  of  the  committee  shortly  were  oft'  for  AVashing- 
ton.  They  fVmnd  upon  arrival  that  Delegate  Bird  S.  ]\lc(  iuii'e 
was  classed  with  the  advocates  of  double  statehood.  If  this 
was  the  mental  attitude  of  the  delegate  from  Oklah(.>ma  at 
that  time,  later  reports  concerning  him  Avould  indicate  that 
he  experienced  a  change  of  heart.  Dennis  T.  Flynn.  former 
delegate,  appeared  before  the  Senate  Connnittee  on  Terri- 
tories, and  souglit  to  have  eliminated  the  ])rovision  that  the 
capital  should  I'eniain  at  (iuthrie.  adxising  the  connnittee 
that,  given  the  opportunity  under  statehood,  the  })eo]»le  of 
the  state  would  shortly  remove  it  to  Oklahoma  City.  His  ap- 
peal was  unavailing. 

On  December  2d  the  executive  connnittee  of  the  Inter- 
Territorial  Single  Statehood  Connnittee  met  in  Oklahoma  City 
and  adopted  ncAV  res(dutions  demanding  earl\-  action  on  the 
statehood  bill  and  made  provision  for  members  of  the  com- 
mittee to  go  to  AVashington.  DecemlxT  pltli.  and  jjresent  the 
resolutions  to  the  Connnittee  on  Territories. 

The  Oklahoma  City  Freiglit  l)Ureau  was  organized  early 

Vol.  1—17 


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258  THE  STOKV  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

ill  tlu'  year  witli  the  ckH-tiou  of  Tlminas  Jarhoe  as  president, 
A.  Can-oil  as  vice  president,  <i.  K.  Lindsay  as  viee  })resident, 
T.  D.  Boydstun  as  secretary  and  Lui;cne  Miller  as  treasurer. 
At  this  meeting'  J.  H.  Johnston,  who  recently  had  come  here 
from  Galveston  and  who  was  destined  to  take  conspicuous  jtart 
in  the  city's  industrial  affairs  during  the  next  fifteen  years, 
was  chosen  trafhc  manager.  Sd  nuicli  was  })romised  hy  this 
organization  and  so  highly  was  it  \alued  in  couunercial  life 
that  an  agreement  was  reached  between  its  officers  and  those 
of  the  Chamber  of  Couunerce  and  the  ^lauufaeturers'  Asso- 
ciation whereby  Mi.  Johnston  was  to  act  as  secretary  of  them 
all  jointly,  and  his  salary  was  tixed  at  $5,000  a  year.  Future 
events  proved  that  this  was  one  of  the  several  peak  steps  taken 
by  commercial  organizations  during  the  formative  years  of 
greatest  consetjuence.  Shortly  thereafter  the  traffic  organ- 
ization was  again  reorganized  into  the  Traffic  Bureau  of  the 
Chamber  of  Conunerce  and  T.  M.  darboe,  J.  F.  Robinson.  ().  1). 
Halsell,  J.  A.  Anderson,  A.  A.  Civws,  \\'.  A.  Wherry,  X.  S. 
Sherman,  A.  S.  Connellee,  J.  X.  Phillips  and  (i.  F.  Lindsay 
were  chosen  as  a  Ijoard  of  directors. 

At  tlic  anmial  meeliugof  the  Ketail  -Mei-cliants  Association, 
which  made  creditable  ])i'ogress  and  considerabl}'  increased 
its  membership  during  the  year,  Seymour  Heyman  was  elected 
president,  S.  H.  Gaines,  secretai-y,  and  these  men  and  J.  -M. 
Bass,  G.'E.  Gardner,  Joseph  .Myers,  A.  E.  AVarlield,  G.  W. 
Piersol,  Eli  Brown,  W.  J.  Pettee  and  C.  E.  Mitchell,  directors. 

Directo]-s  of  the  Chaml)er  of  Conunerce  elected  at  a  De- 
ceml)er  meeting,  foi'  the  succeeding  year,  were  J.  11.  Ingwer- 
son,  Archie  Dunn,  L.  F.  Lee,  ( i.  E.  (hirdner.  AV.  L.  Alexander, 
T.  ]).  Turner,  Weston  Atwood.  G.  G.  Sohlbei'g.  1.  M.  Lutnam, 
Dr.  A.  K.  West,  W.  P.  Dilw.uth,  O.  D.  Halsell,  A.  H.  Classen, 
J.  H.  Hess  and  G.  B.  Stone.  The  directors  elected  .Air.  Turnei- 
president:  Mr.  Stone,  first  vice  ]n'esident;  Mr.  Atwood,  second 
vice  i)resident:  J.  11.  Johnston,  secretary,  and  J.  L.  Wilkin, 
treasurer. 

The  lirst  permanent  organization  of  a  Young  Men's  ( 'hris- 
tian  Association  was  iierfected  this  year  and  J.  F.  Deidiam 
of  Findhiy,  <).,  was  euijiloyed  as  secretary.  The  board  (d' 
dii'cctoi's  consisted  of  C.  r..  Ames.  C.  ]■].  nennett,  1.  M.  llol- 
comb.  T.  J.  Ilen<lri.-kson.  (ieorge  Larrimore.  J.   X.  McCar- 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  259 

Hack,  (r.  (I.  Sohlbcig,  A.  X.  Wyeuff,  J.  M.  Bass,  J.  11.  Everest, 
F.  W.  llawley,  W.  A.  Kuott,  J.  A.  .Mattliews,  J.  K.  Kcse  aud 
Dr.  C.  AV.  ^Villiauls. 

New  sijriiiy  and  suniiuer  Hoods  coining  down  the  Canadian 
River  and  fresli  inundations  of  lowlands  in  conse(|uence 
brought  about  a  revival  of  the  subject  of  shortening  the  chan- 
nel of  the  stream,  reclaiming  many  acres  of  lowlands,  and  pre- 
venting future  damage  by  overflows.  ]Jiscussion  of  the  subject 
led  to  the  organization  of  the  Oklahoma  Kiver  and  Improve- 
ment Canal  &  Irrigation  Company,  capitalized  at  $10,0(X),  and 
of  which  :\1.  L.  Elackwcldcr,  R.  E.  Chapin.  1).  C.  Pryor,  John 
Howard  and  AV.  B.  Armour  were  directors. 

The  resignation  of  George  J.  Shields  from  the  ot!ice  vt  city 
treasurer  provoked  a  lively  issue  in  which  three  banks  took 
a  leading  jiart.  A  su}>posedly  strategical  move  by  a  member 
of  the  City  Council,  who  cast  his  V(»te  in  behalf  of  the  gayety 
of  nations,  resulted,  unexpectedly  to  him,  in  the  council  elect- 
ing Elmer  C.  Trueldood,  who  was  the  candidate  (d'  the  Com- 
merce National  Bank.  The  candidate  of  tlie  American  Na- 
tional was  Frank  Butts  and  that  of  the  State  National  was 
J.  M.  Owen. 

Deaths  of  two  })rominent  citizens  occurred  during  the  year. 
That  in  particular  of  James  Geary,  who  died  Octoljcr  21st, 
was  widel}'  regretted.  Mr.  Geary  was  an  Eightj^-niner  and 
had  established  a  bank  at  the  ct»rner  of  ^Nlain  Street  and  Broad- 
way' twelve  days  after  the  opening.  This  he  S(.)ld  in  189:]  and 
purchased  of  Capt.  D.  F.  Stiles  an  interest  in  what  Avas  a  fter- 
ward  known  as  ^Maywood  Addition.  Geary  Avenue  in  tlu'.t 
section  of  the  city  was  named  in  his  honor.  Geary  was  an 
adopted  jdainsman,  having  gone  AVest  from  St.  Louis  at  the 
age  of  fifteen  and  associated  himself  with  ( 'ol.  A\'illiam  ( '<idy. 
Subserpiently  he  was  with  General  Sheridan  and  (ieiieial 
Hancock  in  movements  against  the  troublesome  ( 'heyemie  and 
Arapaho  Indians.  In  1868  he  secured  a  contract  with  the 
Governmer.t  to  ])uild  houses  for  the  Ponca  Indians,  Imt  tliis 
contract  was  short-lived  because  of  the  redskins  refusing  to 
accejit  Governmental  support  in  that  way.  Eater  lie  was  a 
rancher  at  Salina,  Kan.,  and  a  mercliant  at  Xewtnti.  !\ai). 
Sidney  Chwke,  a  comiiatiiot  nf  tlie  early  years  in  Oklalinma. 
delivered  an  oration  at  his  grav(>.     The  other  <lcath  was  that 


/,!.' 


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Iff;'-;     i;i:!ff;>^   t.;  'r!;!nri,t 


260  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

of  JaiiK's  K.  JJivtt  of  tlu'  Twciity-tifth  rnitrd  States  infantry 
who  \va.s  in  conunaiul  of  eadets  at  tlu'  .Military  Institntf.  lie 
died  of  pneumonia  and  his  hody  was  sent  to  San  Francisco 
for  huiiah  Major  i>iett  was  fifty  years  okl,  had  been  an 
ufheer  in  tlie  army  for  twenty  \'ears.  liad  ser\ed  (hiring  and 
aftei-  the  S]>anish-Ame)-i<-an  war  in  Cuba  and  the  l-*liili|ipines, 
and  liad  taken  part  in  campaigns  against  Indians  on  tiie 
frontier. 

As  a  consequence  of  biclcerings  among  some  memliers  of 
the  City  Council  and  due  in  some  degiee  undoubtedly  to  politi- 
cal enmit}',  friends  of  Hein-y  Ovcrholser,  on  April  23d,  over 
a  year  after  the  city  election,  were  instrumental  in  having 
placed  before  ^iayor  \'an Winkle  and  the  cotmcil  figures 
showing  that  Mr.  Overholser  had  l)een  elected  mayor  and  a 
demand  for  the  ejection  of  VanA\'inkle  and  the  seating  of 
Overholser.  Mayor  A'an\\'inkle  cast  the  vote  that  saved  him 
Ills  seat,  and  immediately  had  his  att<irney  api)ly  for  an  in- 
junction to  prevent  the  installation  of  Overholser.  The 
injunction  was  granted  l)y  Judge  Irwin  and  later  sustained 
and  made  permanent  by  Judge  J.  L.  Paucoast. 

Capt.  John  J.  Pershing,  then  assigned  l)y  the  War  De- 
partment to  the  .Southwestern  Division,  Avas  among  the  guests 
of  honor  at  a  baufpiet  given  at  the  Threadgill  Hotel  on  May 
17th  in  honor  of  ^iaj.-Oen.  S.  S.  Sumner,  who  ^vas  in  charge 
of  the  division.  The  spread  was  one  of  the  most  pi'etentious 
in  the  city's  history  and  given  in  a  hostelry  that  had  Ix'cn 
jDroclaimed  by  the  ne^\'s[)apers  as  one  of  the  very  llnest  in  the 
Southwest.  Jiulge  B.  M.  Dilley  was  toastmastei-.  Unfor- 
tunately the  remarks  of  Captain  Pershing  wei-e  not  recorded. 

Frank  ^latthews  of  .Mangum,  a  memljer  of  the  Territorial 
Coimcil,  was  the  nominee  of  the  democrats  for  Congress.  The 
convention  was  held  in  Oklahoma  City,  July  27th,  and  "was  an 
enthusia.stic  affair,  ^latthews  was  declared  the  nominee  on 
the  nineteenth  ballot.  Other  names  i^resented  to  the  con\en- 
tiou  were  those  of  ^f.  J.  Ivane  of  Ivingtisher,  L.  P.  Ross  of 
Lawton,  Edgar  Jones,  William  Px.wles,  W.  P.  Taylor  of  Okla- 
homa City,  and  J.  11.  Maxey  of  Shawnee,  the  latter  l)eing 
nominated  ])y  S.  1^.  Freeling,  afterwai'ds  an  attorney  general 
of  the  state.  Jesse  J.  Dunn  of  Alva  was  chosen  chairman  of 
the  Territorial  Democratic  Conunittee.     A  summer  of  vigor- 


ii    M    ■     AW: 


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THE  STOKY  OF  (MvLAIlO.MA  CITY  2G1    --X'''^- 

(tu.s  (:aiiii>;u,i;iiiii,n-  cnsiU'd.  and  it  ended  with  tlic  reelection  of 
Bird  S.  McGuire,  tlio  repnhliean  nominee.  Dr.  Jolm  Thread- 
gill,  repul)lican.  of  Oklahoma  ("ity,  was  (deeted  a  member  id' 
the  Territorial  ('ouncil.  Democrats  and  re})nblieans  divided 
honors  in  the  connty  election  and  amoni;-  tlie  men  of  note  in 
the  city's  history  elected  were  George  \V.  Garrison,  sheriff: 
John  L.  ]Mitch,  i-egister  of  deeds,  and  Edward  Overholser. 
connty  connnissioner. 

Happenings  of  more  or  less  interest  during  the  year  in- 
clnded  these :  The  Oklahoma  Gas  &  Electric  Company's  busi- 
ness was  sold  to  a  syndicate  represented  by  T.  B.  Bnrbridge, 
J.  J.  Henry  and  0.  H.  McBeth  of  Colorado ;  a  second  cattle- 
men "s  com-ention  was  held,  including  a  fat-stock  show  and 
sale  at  Colcord  Park  that  was  attended  by  festivities  and 
10,000  i)ersous;  Capitol  Hill,  a  separate  town  south  of  the 
river,  was  incorporated  by  a  vote  of  72  to  61 ;  Assessor  'W.  P. 
Hawkins  announced  that  he  had  found  the  population  of  the 
city  to  ))e  33,000,  wdiich  was  an  increase  of  23,000  in  foui-  years ; 
the  Fiist  Methodist  Church  was  dedicated  on  June  6th  l)y  Br. 
T.  C.  Tliff ;  Judge  Clinton  Galbreath  returned  June  22d  from 
Hawaii,  where  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
and  announce(l  that  he  would  practice  law  in  Oklahoma  City: 
on  July  6th  the  coimty  commissioners  awarded  to  the  Gross 
Construction  (^'ompany  the  contract  for  erection  of  a  court- 
house t<.  cost  .fr)9.999:  on  June  30th  the  City  Coiuicil  concluded 
to  call  an  election  to  submit  the  proposition  <d'  issuing  ^^IS,!,- 
000  in  bonds  for  water  and  sewer  improvements:  Ivhvard  S. 
Vaught  was  r(^(dected  superintendent  ni'  schools,  and  he  an- 
nounced that  the  school  ]i(-)pulation  was  (>.S(K),  that  se\-en 
buildings  were  occujued  and  that  two  more  wei'e  needed:  the 
City  Council  on  October  3d  (U-dered  an  election  on  the 
bond  i)roposition,  submitting  figures  of  ••rl7.").(HH)  t'oi'  watei' 
works  and  >^200,000  for  sewers:  :\ray(.r  VanWiidde  called  the 
election  l)ut  later  rescinded  the  call :  Rali»h  J.  Ranier  resigned 
as  countv  attorney  and  G.  A.  Paul  was  elected  to  the  position. 


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190.3— SIDESTErPlX(i  AN  JS.SL'J-: 

Advocates  uf  opeu  saloons  entertained  little  hoiie  that  the 
sale  of  intoxicants  would  be  permitted  many  years  longer  in 
Oklahoma,  for  the  proliil)ition  forces,  under  Icadcrsliiji  of  the 
Auti-Saloon  League,  had  been  active  for  scwral  }eais  and  liad 
accomplished  results  that  could  not  be  inteii)retcd  otherwise 
than  as  prophecies  of  prohibition.  It  was  impossililc  to  sci)a- 
rate  the  issue  fi'oni  the  statehood  question.  No  one  expected 
Congress  to  sunnnarily  end  half  a  century  of  anti-li(|iior 
restrictions  over  the  nations  of  the  FWv  (_'i\ilized  Tribes. 
which  were  to  l)ecome  part  of  the  state,  nor  to  relieve  lands 
of  the  Indians  of  Oklahoma  Territory  of  sinnlar  resti'ictions. 
Over  tifty  Indian  tribes  were  represented  in  the  two  Tei-ri- 
tories.  Indians  would  live  in  every  county  of  the  new  state. 
The  (io\-ermuent  was  the  guardian  of  the  Indians.  It  was 
pledged  to  protect  them  as  far  as  ])ossible  against  e\il  intlu- 
ences  and  to  educate  them  and  make  Christians  ot  them.  S.. 
it  was  virtually  certain  that  the  statehood  bill  that  berauie  hiw 
would  either  provide  Idanket  prohil)ition  for  tlie  state  or 
renew,  extend  and  strengthen  the  network  of  ]iai'ap!iernalia 
and  machinerv  used  to  ju-otect  the  Indians  a.Liaiii'^t  the  li(|Uor 
evil. 

The  nonsectarian  and  noni)artisan  Chamber  of  < 'oiiunci-ce 
found  it  advisalde.  j)robably  for  the  first  time  in  its  history, 
to  sidestep  a  stand  on  an  issut'  (d'  \-ital  imiiort  to  the  i-ity.  The 
statehood  bill  was  passed,  with  amendments,  by  the  Senate. 
Febinary  7th,  and  it  carried  an  amendment,  written  liy  Sen- 
ator (iallinger.  ]>rohibiti?ig  tlie  manufacture  oi-  sah'  of  intoxi- 
cating liipiors  witliin  the  state.  It  .-reated  a  Stale  of  Olda- 
homa  and  Indian  Tei-ritory  and  elinunated  New  .Mexico  and 
Arizona.  Its  passage  was  niaih-  [los^ible  by  Senator  Vnvnl 
of  Ohio  leading  a  force  of  reiuiblieans  into  llie  united  cai 
of  the  democrats.  When  news  of  the  i>as>age  I'eached  Ok 
2G:i 


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■>oni-)l.    'Wl: 


264  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

luiiua  ("ity  it  was  wcli-omcd  with  sincere  vejoieiiii;-  on  one 
hand  and  ihihious  and  snixTticial  acchiini  on  the  other.  This 
news  A\-as  followed  slioitl}-  l)y  a  niessa.u'e  to  the  ChaiulxT  of 
Conmicrce  from  \\'aslnnyton  asking  tlrat  ])ody  for  an  (.'Xiires- 
sion  of  ojiinion  on  tlie  prohibition  amendment.  The  ( 'hamher 
was  convened  in  short  order  and  the  matter  placed  Ijefore  it. 
Such  l)odies  always  are  cunstitntcd  of  men  of  divergent  shades 
i>{  opinion,  and  this  was  not  an  exception  to  the  rule.  Devout 
church  men  and  the  re[)rest'ntati\"('s  (d'  brewers  and  liquor 
dealers  had  sat  side  by  side  for  many  years  nearly  always  in 
accord  on  issues  affecting  the  connnereial  welfare  of  the  city. 
They  had  never  faced  the  prohibition  question  except  as  it 
came  i)erhai)s  timidly  and  obliquely  from  local  reform  sources. 
Xow  it  Avas  a  paramoiuit  issue  demanding  of  every  man  that 
he  come  out  s(iuarely  on  one  side  or  the  other. 

The  telegram  was  referred  by  the  presidi'ut  of  the  Chamber 
to  a  committee.  The  comnuttee  gave  it  brief  consideration 
and  reported  that,  as  it  viewed  tlu'  matter,  expression  of  an 
opinion  was  bey(»nd  the  jurisdiction  of  a  body  tlms  con- 
stituted.    Thus  was  tlie  subject  disposed  of. 

Meantime  the  advocates  of  iirohibitioii  c(»ntinued  rejoicing 
and  their  enthusiasm  s]UH'ad  like  a  contagion  over  the  city, 
just  as  it  was  spreading  o\'er  The  Territory.  A  largcdy  at- 
tended mass  meeting  was  ludd  at  the  ('hristiau  Chuich  not 
only  in  celeln-ation  of  a<loption  of  X\\v  ])rohibition  amendment 
but  to  send  a  m(>ssage  of  ajqiroval  to  ^Vashington.  T).  A. 
Duncan  was  chairman  ni'  the  meeting  and  S.  A.  Ilorton  was 
secretary.  Speeches  were  made  l>y  the  Uw.  V.  K.  Day,  pastor 
of  the  First  ALethodist  Church;  Dr.  D.  Haynes  Duxton,  the 
Yivr.  Thomas  If.  lTar}»er,  and  others.  A  special  message  ex- 
])re.ssuig  the  gratitude  of  those-  asseml)led  was  foi warded  to 
Senator  Gallinger. 

Since  the  ])ill  passed  by  the  Senate  differed  from  that 
which  ]iassed  the  House,  and  in  several  respects  differed  so 
radically,  the  outlook  for  tliis  measure  becoming  a  law  this 
year  was  not  enc<iuraging.  althougli  ('.  (J.  Jones,  the  (Tiamber 
of  ('((unuerce  representative  in  Washington,  wired  that  he 
felt  sui'e  of  statehood  within  the  year.  The  situation  certainly 
warranted  no  slackening  of  acti\'ities  here.  Ol-Llalioma's  cani- 
]iaign  (d'  education  and  its  democratic  demand  f(M'  self-gov- 


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UK.  J.  V.  Mi;ssi:.\ii.u-( 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  267 

eriinicnt  had  acconiplislu'd  udod  ri'sults  to  date  and  it  didn't 
purpose  t-iving  Wasliinyton  any  opportunity  to  forget. 

The  Statehood  Executi\e  Counuittee  met  liere  April  14th 
and  i.ssTied  a  call  foi-  a  convention  for  July  ll*th.  The  suljjeet 
of  holding-  a  constitutional  convention  a^aiu  was  discussed 
and  such  a  convention  this  time  was  advocated  by  Thomas  H. 
Doyle  of  Pei'ry.  C.  I>.  Ames,  father  of  the  proposition  as 
orii^inally  i)resented  and  which  had  been  xoted  down  in  the 
Shawnee  convention,  opposed  it. 

A  thousand  delegates  attended  the  July  cf^nvention,  repre- 
senting a  million  and  a  half  people,  and  they  adopted  a  me- 
morial to  Congress  ringing  with  heartfelt  sincerity  and 
abounding  in  illuminating  facts  and  figures.  The  convention 
was  electrified  l)y  a  statement  from  Delegate  II  S.  McGuire 
that  he  favoi'ed  a  single  state.  President  I.  ]M.  Holcomb  of 
the  (.'haml)er  of  Commerce  welcomed  the  delegates.  A  new 
executive  <'oninuttee  was  chosen.  ('.  (}.  Jones  representing 
Oklahoma  County.  A  special  conunittce.  of  which  Mr.  Jones 
■was  a  memlK'r,  was  selected  to  take  the  memorial  to  AVashing- 
ton.  When  Congress  convened  the  next  Avinter  two  more  state- 
hood lulls  were  introduced  in  tlie  House  of  Representatives, 
one  In-  Mr.  Hamilton  of  Alichigan  and  one  by  Delegate  Mc- 
Cuire  of  Oklahoma.  Each  provided  for  a  single  state  of  the 
tAvo  Territories  and  the  Hamilton  bill  provided  also  that  Xew 
^Mexico  and  Arizona  shoidd  l)e  adnutted  as  one  state.  Stage 
settings  were  installed  for  Oklahomans  to  hold  a  continuous 
performance  in  Wasliingtou  during  the  winter  and  the  big 
show  o]»ened  early  in  Decemlier  \^•itll  tlie  arri\'al  there  of  an 
Oklahoma  delegation  tliat  filled  five  Pullmans.  Helen  Ken- 
strom.Avhom  Col.  X.  11.  Lingenfelter  sol)i-i([neted  The  Swedisli 
Nightingale  and  whose  uuisii-al  talent  he  discovered  while 
she  sang  in  the  choir  of  a  mediocre  little  church,  ai^comjianied 
the  delegation.  Her  singing  was  heard  by  thousands  in  hotel 
lobbies,  churclies  and  ]iublie  meeting  places  of  tlie  ca]>ital  and 
her  unusual  \'oice  was  a  subject  of  fa\'oi-abh'  comment  l)y  art 
critics  of  eastern  cities.  Helen  IJenstrom  and  the  ubi([uiti>us 
hol)i!obbers  of  •■the  land  of  the  fair  god"  that  wintt'r  inter- 
nationa!iz(Ml  the  charming  story  of  Olclahonia,  and  tliey  <lrew 
out  of  the  uncertain  future  a  l)oon  the  realizatit)U  of  which 
perhajis  was  years  distant.  • 


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■,iJ»iil     <i;-!f    tf'r.^r,    (!<.i)!f.)/,i,r)   ]i;ui!|tl: 
;    ..,11  ■■li  :'  i,\  i,  An')>>/Ut;  ^.w.i  '^wsa  --.nW  itui  u\  w.i., ,  .,  .,  ,m,  L.ti;. 

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26,S  THE  STORY  UF  OKI.xVIK  ).MA   LlTV 

It  lia]>ii('iis  that  a  Sccretai-y  of  the  luteridr  is  vcstcil  with 
more  authority  in  the  a(hniiiisti'ation  of  u(i\-i'n]inciit  in  a  Ter- 
i'it(ti'v  than  any  other  \\'ashin,i;ton  oflieiah  and  tliat  official 
therefore  is  suhjected  to  the  greatest  number  of  oritieisnis 
fmm  thosr  wild  conic  in  contact  witli  the  ruh'S  and  re.uida- 
tions  of  his  department.  AVhilc  the  records  do  not  reveal  that 
Oklahoma  City  had  any  imiiortaut  part  iu  it,  the  Territories 
this  year  made  the  official  life  ot  Secretary  Hitchcock  a  veri- 
table bed  of  thorns.  His  administration  touched  even  small 
municipal  aii'airs  and  at  eyery  touch  the  municipality  howled 
and  turned  its  rancorous  wea])ons  of  abuse  upon  hhn.  ^Nlany 
times  he  was  abused  without  just  cause.  Many  times  abuse 
was  liremeditated  and  born  of  no  cause  whatever.  Every 
charge  was  an  expression  of  the  voice  of  a  i^eople  that  had 
found — even  if  they  imagined  it  largely — that  long-distance 
government  from  "Washington  was  intolerable.  And  the  sum 
of  these  charges  before  long  drove  Washiugton  opponents  of 
statehood  into  disorganization  and  ine^•itablc  rout. 

This  Oklahoma  situation — these  peculiar  Oklahoma  peo- 
ple— the  source  and  the  su1)stance  of  all  this  noise — undoubt- 
edly influenced  two  other  Cabinet  members  to  come  here. 
Secretary  Wilson  of  the  Dei)artment  of  Agriculture  looked 
the  domain  over,  was  entertained  as  cosmopolitans  entertain, 
and  returned  a  believer  in  the  justness  df  the  Oklahoma  cause. 
Secretary  Shaw  of  the  Treasury  Department  was  a  guest  of 
the  Oklahoma  City  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  went  back  con- 
verted, to  the  cause.  Jt  was  a  record-lireaking  yeai'  in  the 
matter  of  distinguished  visitors.  Senator  Chester  T.  Long  of 
Kansas  came  down  as  a  guc^st  of  Dennis  T.  Flynn  and  was 
entertained  by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Senator  LaFol- 
lette  of  "Wisconsin  and  William  T.  Dryan  of  Xehraska  came 
on  chaiitauqua  expeditions  and  went  out  jireaehing  al»nut  the 
matchless  spirit  of  these  hosintable  and  long-suffering  people. 
Cen.  A.  R.  Chaffee,  chief  of  statf  of  the  United  States  Army, 
who  conducted  a  rifle  competition  at  b'ort  l^eno.  also  was  a 
guest  of  the  ])usiness  interests  during  the  yeai".  And  the 
redoidttable  Teddy,  the  double-fisted  American,  the  chaminon 
of  the  AVest.  then  President  of  the  I'nited  States,  chose  a 
hunting  spot  in  Oklahnuia.  and  when  he  had  fetched  in  coyotes 
and  lol)oes  to  his  satisfaction  down  in  the   Dig  Pasture,  a 


''vilijI-iiV/    -I'liii' 
/  J  :;iU''->  Hi    '111.' 


.  I'/  -^.(ij  iiK.rt 

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•  '5  <:    V  lUilAC) 


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TlIK  STORY  OF  OKLAHO.MA   OITY  269 

tlioiisaiid  rcprcsciitativc  OklaliDiiians  set  liiiu  rcjuicijiu'  bct'dro 
his  special  train  inillcd  out  of  the  station  at  Frederick. 

No  external  intluence  Ix'arinjj;- on  statehood  had  more  wide- 
spread or  marked  inHiience  this  year  than  that  of  memhers 
of  the  National  Editorial  Association  whom  Oklahoma  City 
entertained  after  their  annual  convention  had  been  held  in 
(Inthrie.  Dozens  of  these  editors  on  returniny  home  "tftok 
their  pen  in  hand"  and  wrote  nnstintinL;ly  virtuous  praises 
of  this  neAv  land  and  almost  with  one  accord  urged  Congress 
to  admit  the  Territories  to  statehood. 

The  spring  city  election  resulted  in  a  republican  victory 
in  the  mayoralty  light,  Dr.  J.  F.  ]\fessenhaugli  defeating  F.  S. 
Rhodes,  the  democratic  nominee,  l)y  aljout  800  votes.  The 
socialists  this  year  nominated  a  full  ticket  and  made  an  active 
campaign.  Their  candidate  for  mayor  Avas  Edgar  A.  David- 
son. An  independent  ticket  also  was  nominated,  headed  by 
the  "Rev.  Thomas  H.  Harper  for  mayor,  and  the  nominees  con- 
ducted a  ■warm  battle  on  issues  elevated  somewhat  abo\-e  those 
of  ordinar}'  political  fights.  George  Hess  was  elected  clerk  ; 
Cr.  A.  Paul,  attorney;  John  Hubatka,  police  chief;  John  Hay- 
son,  ijolice  judge;  Dan  AVi'ight,  assessor;  AVill  S.  (inthrie, 
treasure)-  of  the  school  board,  and  Elmer  Truel)lo(:id,  city 
treasurer.  At  this  election  ."r'JO,000  of  lK)nds  was  voted  for 
building  Avard  schoolhouses. 

Resolutions  demanding  statehood  for  the  Territories  were 
adopted  by  the  Federation  of  Commercial  Clul)s  of  the  Terri- 
tories which  held  its  axmual  meeting  here  July  11.  Lee  Cruce 
of  Ai'dmore  was  elected  president;  J.  H.  Johnston  of  Okla- 
homa City,  secretary,  and  II.  k.  l^'oggcd'  1^1  Reuo,  treasurer. 

Before  ^layor  .Messt'ubaugh  nur  day  came  a  modest  little 
Ijlack-haired  wouian  with  talkative  brown  eyes  who  made  ap- 
plication for  a])])ointnient  as  city  stenographer.  She  Avas  a 
democrat  and  the  democrats  mai)itained  the  balance  of  poAver 
in  the  council.  She  had  bei'U  acti\-e  in  })(ditics,  had  an  intlu- 
ence Avith  laboring  men.  and  seemed  to  ]Mi^sess  some  (|Ualities 
essential  to  democratic  militancy.  Tlic  ap])ointment  Avas 
made  and  slie  entered  diligently  and  entluisiastically  upon  the 
duties  (d'  tlie  joli.  She  a]ipears  to  have  I)eeu  so  engrossed 
there  the  ])ul)lic  learned  little  about  hei-,  ex(:-e])t  tliat  now  and 


/  'v';:/..In<'  '1<|    •;[(>r^  MIIT 


']  :i 


y:\'    Tilil   '!■      )i  :!'    /  :j,iw     i'.r.,   <ii..i    v  .ii:,)i,n 

'       I  '     ■     :    '     .(<.;  f|r,Vi|.i  I    lu'lll.l!'.    'T-'Jiil 


'    '-;  ■■      !.fi'..     .\:   :\  .  J    ..j:;r 
i'+     '  r.'in  "/r  •>  ft  tinrftB  "t 

;<!   jJ.j'i    /  ?[;:'l>i7i;lif  -iifl  in 
--    ':■::  li.-'ilil'-M   -,■  -  ..,\\h  u.-  '\u 

,i^.    \.   ;      ■;;:-;. ,i:H   .i(I;-M    .A    .I) 

•-•'■  .:■■'■■■.  .^  l'[/7/  ^inUliiHi 

M     i.   ''■>•')    !    r-:';7/    -'[Oi'ilH/v    '!u 
I     m'j,  ,     I'-:w  I  ).•-.  .-/I;'  >  i;lf|i»l! 

'i  iMiii'-i'.     lit  l',c,n  jr.T'iuiDi) 
.'I   Im;;!   Mil'-:      .h  >ititn->  'Hit   (li 


-'TO  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

then  it  heard  ot  a  iuystci-i(.ius  feiuiiiiue  iiitluciice  beariiiy  ap- 
parently meager  fruits  in  some  ndnpublic  strata  of  society. 
She  was  an  extravagantly  busy  little  woman  and  siie  soon 
displayed  exeeuti\e  itropensities.  She  worked  consistently 
and  by  rule  and  by  iKuirs,  and  she  breathed  into  the  city  (.flices 
an  atmosphere  of  ch'rical  independence  theretofore  unwit- 
nessed, in  that  atmosphej'e  her  timidity  departed  an<l  she 
became  sagely  self-asseiti\e.  This  was  too  radical  a  step  for 
City  Attorney  Paul  and  he  gaxe  her  notice  one  day  that  her 
employment  was  at  an  end.  She  had  declined  t(»  work  over- 
time and  on  Sunday.  She  appealed  to  the  City  Council,  stat- 
ing her  case  rather  exhaustively,  and  the  record  of  the 
council  meeting  shows  that  the  "conununication  was  re- 
ceived." The  little  woman  was  Kate  l>arnard.  This  was  one 
of  her  tirst  acts  in  a  long  career  to  inqirove  conditions  of 
working  men  and  women.  Early  in  that  career  the  iteople  of 
the  new  state  elected  her  commissioner  of  charities  and  cor- 
rections, and  as  such  she  (-ultivated  her  talent  and  ac(iuired  a 
national  reputation. 

On  November  lllst.  l»y  a  stinudating  majority,  ])onds  in  the 
sum  of  $;!T.1.()0()  were  V(»te(l  for  water  and  sewer  extension 
pur])oses.  business  men  celeln-ated  the  victory  at  a  ripi'oar- 
ous  mass  meeting  that  was  presided  over  Ijy  (iraves  Leeper 
and  s})oken  to  by  C.  G.  Jones,  Seymour  Heyman  and  T.  D. 
Turner.  'Jlie  \icttay  was  acclauned  as  aji  event  destined  to 
ha\-e  fai'-reaching  comuiereial  conseciuences.  and  s]ieakers 
predicted  that  within  tweh'e  months  construction  imolving 
an  ex]ienditure  <d'  several  million  dollars  would  be  under  way. 

1.  yi.  llolcomb  was  late  in  Decemi.er  elected  ])i-esideut  of 
the  ( 'hamber  of  ( 'onuuerce  for  the  ensuing  yeai'.  R.  A.  K'lein- 
schmidt  was  elected  fii-st  vice  pivsident;  J.  U.  Helton,  second 
vice  president:  ,1.  11.  .Johnston,  secretary,  and  J.  L.  Wilkin, 
treasure!-.  Other  members  of  the  board  of  directors  were  J. 
:\I.  (ii'oss,  W.  L.  Alexander.  'I'.  1).  Turner,  J.  (i.  Teepei'.  Cuv 
Blackwelder.  J.  K.  Piersol.  .] .  11.  Hess.  A.  H.  Classen.  C  iJ. 
Stone  and  F.  A.  Cross. 

The  Oklahoma  S(,ciety  of  the  Sons  (d'  the  American  Revo- 
luti<in  was  oi-ganized  this  year  with  Henry  !>.  l^dwards  as 
]iresident:  Arthur  H.  Price,  registi'ar.  and  Dr.  I,.  Haynes 
liuxton.  seci-etarv.    Other  charter  membei's  were:  Dine  .lohn- 


-i!  ■  Y,.tr:,..;iin' 


•n.  •■    h  ti'.ilJ 


.IJ!( 


.■!  .   ii.i,!(i/.      :   ,     ;       i-.r)   -Jjd    ..^^: 


1      ;       ,■•.;)    1/ 


■  ■   ■'  '     ■  !  '.'''■■■i'l 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  271 

stoii,  Paul  F.  Mackoy.  A.  S.  Reaves,  J.  B.  Tli..l.uni.  K.  C.  Bar- 
rows, A.  J.  iirasted,  Fred  Jirasted,  Charles  \V.  Burr,  II.  V. 
Foster,  C.  M.  Cireeiunau,  C  R.  Hume,  Charles  II.  lluuie,  A.  E. 
Patriek  and  Lv  (i.  Si)illumii. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  l>ai>tist  I'enijtle  at  Third  Street 
and  Broadway  was  laid  with  ccrenionies  on  Xo\-eni!)er  1st, 
addresses  lu'ln-  delivered  by  Dr.  Henry  Alford  Porter,  the 
pastor,  and  Dr.  ^i.  P.  Hunt  of  J.ouis\illc',  Kentucky.  Dr. 
Porter  recalled  that  the  first  Bai)tist  Church  in  the  city  was 
organized  Xovenil)er  2.  1889.  and  that  Kendall.  Elder  and  L. 
H.  Xorth  were  electe.l  deacons  and'l.  N.  Philliiis.  E.  V.  Bran- 
don and  T.  M.  Richardson,  trustees,  and  that  the  Rev.  W.  H. 
Nichols  was  the  first  pastor. 

AnioiiL;'  other  events  (d'  the  year  were  these:  Edward 
Overholser  resigned  as  county  counnissionei-  and  was  reap- 
pointed l)y  (iovernor  Ferguson  aftei'  a  p(ditical  scranihle.  dur- 
ing which  J.  A.  .Johnson  was  named  for  the  ]ilaee,  the  governor 
discovering  latei-  that  Johnsim  did  not  li\-e  in  the  district  in 
which  the  vacancy  dccurred;  Denedum  it  Trees  <if  Pittsburgh, 
Pennsyhniiia.  thi'ou^h  ().  A.  Mitschei-,  their  local  representa- 
tive, apiilied  for  a  natural  gas  franchise;  on  damiary  25tli 
Miss  Edith  J-'helps  was  chosen  jiublic  librarian  ;  ( !ra\es  Lecpcr 
on  February  1st  was  chosen  chairman  of  the  City  Democratic 
Central  (.'ommittee;  A.  C.  Root,  J.  H.  J<ihnston  and  others 
prepared  a  foi-m  of  city  charter,  the  tra\ail  of  which  in  the 
Legislature  cause<l  the  resignation  (d'  Dr.  John  Thi'eadgill 
from  the  Chamber  of  Coumierce;  the  city  recei\ed  notice  that 
the  M<-Master  suit  lia.l  been  dismissed  'by  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court;  Brig.-Cen.  Frank  Daldwin  of  ('olorado  suc- 
ceeded ]Maj.-(!en.  S.  S.  Sumner  as  commandant  of  the  South- 
western District;  the  Mar(iuette  Club,  with  ^OO  uieuibers,  was 
organized  with  C.  15.  Stone,  ])resi(lent;  J.  !>.  '\\'ilkin.  vioe 
])resident :  "Will  S.  (luthrie.  secretary,  and  these  and  J.  S. 
Lillard.  Dennis  Flynn.  J.  II.  Wheelei'.  C.  B.  Pope,  Imuran 
House,  John  Shartel,  Weston  Atwo,,d  ami  T.  M.  Holcoml), 
directors;  the  Eiglity-Ninei's  Association  held  a  liancfUet,  in 
which  "sooners  attack<Ml  Uw  gruli  befoiv  the  shot  was  tired." 
and  Col.  Samuel  ( 'I'ockei'  was  elected  jtresident;  R.  S.  Baugus, 
vice  ]ti'e>iilciit ;  Sidney  Cjarlxc.  secretary:  John  Cai-ey.  assis- 
tant secretary  and  .1.  It.  "Wheeler,  treasurer;  the  American 


,•1     :      Al'./'l^      M 


■'.IIT 


.      '     -i-.Ur     ■,./     ;'.)   >-  ,iM  -i:     I    -     :  1  ^  '/    f.ii;l    <v,    '■    ".iiV  .     .  .    -      ■  ; 


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,i*  -IM.    i; 

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■.- :  '■  t  ■.,!;  ,.!u-i1 


M        ,N,t,-^    :.\     .;>    J;.  .7    r,.  .;nii;--!u 
II    .'.   .:!,.-!■;    -;iiii-.(!    .;r<;,[!i.I 
/,   -  I  -,<;/■ 'h..::M   'lit  .^,  'j'.nil, 
I     ,    , ;;■-■■•>  (•,(:. ui;'-    I-''  !> 


272  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

National  IJaiik  and  the  Hank  (if  ( 'Dninu'ice  were  inerCiCd  under 
the  name  of  the  former  and  J.  H.  AVheeler  was  eleeted  })resi- 
deiit;  F.  P.  Jolmsctn,  cashier,  and  H.  B.  Carson  and  Oscar 
Avey,  assistant  casliiers;  the  Pioneer  Telephone  Company 
bought  two  lots  at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Third  Street 
and  announced  its  intention  of  erecting  a  large  l)uilding;  the 
Rev.  George  H.  Bradford  of  Kansas  City  was  elected  chan- 
cellor of  Ejiworth  Uuiversit}'. 


i.'.tt(i/..i: 


•.;il     -i:  Ml'  '.  't;ni-;'    ;  rMfi'v,'!.-,,  '1,,  :i,.ititMtli  >^J;  !j^i.>.;       .:.  ]'.[;• 


190G— A  GOLD  PEX  AND  A  (^)riLL 

The  years  of  190(5  and  1907  were  so  i-rowded  with  iiioiueii- 
toiis  events  that  it  is  difficult  to  c-hissify  thcui  in  the  (irih'r  of 
their  imijortanee.  Xor  is  it  easy  to  extract  from  many  of 
these  events  jjartieles  of  news  that  reh\te  exdusivel}-  to  Okhi- 
homa  City.  Indeed,  it  liardly  is  jtossible,  nor  shoiUd  it  he 
attempted,  to  separate  the  liistory  of  Okhilioma  City  from  the 
history  of  the  state.    They  aie  inseparahly  iuterlinlced. 

It  was  in  tlie  first  of  these  two  years  tliat  Oklalionia  and 
Indian  Territory  were  enahh'd  by  an  ai-t  of  ('on.i;]-ess  to  write 
a  constitution  for  Olclahoma.  and  in  the  second  that  tlie  con- 
stitution was  ado])ted.  appro\-cd  ]>y  tlie  President  and  j^iro- 
claimed  the  law  of  the  new  state,  and  the  first  state  officials 
elected. 

On  dune  14th  the  statehood  hill  as  finally  passed  hy  the 
Senate  was  adopt<'d  !)y  the  House  of  Representatives  and  two 
days  later  it  was  signed  hy  President  Roosevelt.  The  Presi- 
dent wrote  his  Christian  name  witli  a  liold  \h'U  that  had  heen 
presented  to  him  for  that  ])ur]Misc  and  L;a\-e  the  i»en  to  Dele- 
gate William  Andrews  of  New  Mexico,  ]ieihaps  as  a  consola- 
tion and  a  recompense  for  the  rejei-tion  hy  Cou-ress  of  that 
feature  of  the  original  statehood  l)ill  that  ]>ro\ided  for  adnus- 
sion  of  New  ]\Iexico  as  a  state.  The  name  Roosevelt  he  signed 
Avith  an  eagle  <]uill,  that  also  liad  lieen  provided  for  that  ]iur- 
pose,  and  the  (piill  he  }iresented  to  the  Oklahoma  Ifistoi'ical 
Society.  Tlie  blotter  he  used  was  jU'eseuted  in  ]terson  with 
the  President's  compliments  to  James  P.  Candy  <>t  Woodward. 
and  a  humorist  of  the  day  said  that  Mr.  (!andy,  having  had 
the  matter  imju'essionably  in  miiul,  wondered  for  the  instant 
if  the  President  hadn't  '•comniissioued  him  to  hold  some  ofhce 
or  other." 

President  Roosevelt,  in  spite  (d'  his  pre(lil(>ction  to  politics 
and  his  suiierticial  sympathy  with  politicians  who  doubti'd 
the  i>olitical  expediency  of  statehood  at  that  moment,  un- 
27:5 

Vol.  1—18 


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274  'HIE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA   CITY 

doiibtedly,  as  a  devout  American  and  a  profoinid  statesman, 
was  in  syn)})atli}-  witli  the  aspirations  of  the  million  and  a  lialf 
people  in  the  two  Territories.  Perhaps  this  accounted  for 
the  characteristir  yood  humor  he  displayed  in  signing  the 
statehood  l)ill.  'i'lie  act  was  witnessed  by  former  Governor 
C.  M.  Barnes,  Judge  J.  R.  (ottlugham,  Claude  Baker,  Judge 
Robert  E.  Wood,  James  "Wilks,  James  P.  Gandy,  J.  F.  San- 
ders, Judge  Hammer  and  representatives  of  daily  newspapers 
of  Oklahoma  and  elsewhere. 

So  demonstrative  did  the  ]ieople  of  Oklalioma  City  l.)ecome 
and  so  contagious  was  their  liilarity  when  news  reached  here 
that  the  bill  had  passed  the  House,  that  Mayor  ]\Iessenbaugh 
issued  nnj^remeditatedly  a  i)roclamation  warning  the  people 
against  the  use  of  fire  arms  or  fireworks  Imt  joining  them  in 
the  spirit  of  tlieir  rejoicing.  Three  thousand  persons  gath- 
ered at  a  hurredly  assembled  mass  meeting,  presided  o\er  Ijy 
Dr.  J.  Hensley.  Congratulatory  and  i)atriotic  speeches  were 
made  by  Mayor  ^lessenljaugh,  O.  A.  Mitscher,  C.  G.  Jones, 
E.  J.  Giddings,  I).  C.  Lewis,  Col.  J.  W.  Johnson  and  others. 

ScA-en  days  later  the  demonstration  was  repeated,  the  city 
taking  the  lead  in  a  statewide  thanksgiving  event.  Ten  thou- 
sand persons  assembled.  They  came  from  all  secticHis  of  the 
Territories  and  from  adjoining  states.  Among  visitor's  was 
Governor  Hocli  of  Kansas  who  delivered  one  of  the  principal 
addresses.  Governor  Frank  Frantz  came  down  from  Guthrie 
accompanied  by  Adjt.-Gen.  Alva  Xiles  and  the  governor's 
personal  staff,  among  whom  were  ^faj.  John  W.  Duke.  Cai)t. 
Hugh  Scott  and  ^laj.  Harry  Pentec(-ist.  They  were  greete<l 
with  the  gr(H'ting  extended  Governor  Hodi,  and  tlie  I'eccption 
conunittee  consisted  of  Ca])ts.  Fred  AV.  Hunter  and  Samuel 
Harralson  of  the  Xational  Guard.  Carl  Holtzschue,  chaiiiuan 
of  the  reception  conunittee  of  the  Chanil)er  of  Commerce, 
Senatoi-  John  Tln-eadgill,  Col.  William  Cross,  Anton  H.  Clas- 
sen, A.  W.  McKeand,  secretary  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
and  others.  Tn  addition  t<i  the  addresses  of  Governors  Hoch 
and  Frantz  there  were  s]ieeclies  l)v  Seymour  Heymau.  T.  :\[. 
H(.lconib.  E.  J.  Giihlings  and  Claude  Weaver  of  Pauls  Valley. 

The  statehood  bill  had  luisscd  the  Senate  on  March  Otli. 
P.  V.  Stafford.  wl)o  was  in  Wasliiiigtnu  as  a  represeiitati\-e 
of  the  city,  Avired  that  some  doubt  existed  whetlier  the  l)ill 


irt         ii-.7j:.    ^.:i  '.i; 

,  .on.,,..      .   -      u'J    ,-.  !'  ''        ■  '-'     '  —  7/    .'!    l;,f!oH 

,       ,         -     ">■    ;      -r,  .•!  ■  ,  :  ...  ,  -if  ■.):_.:. I  ).  .■^.■i>U 

',t  ,--,';  -;       ■   1!:.    ■•:•!. -.'-,.i<>  't'. 

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f.      V 


TlIK  STOKV  OF  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY  ,      277 

WDiild  pass  the  Hdiisc  (>\-cr  ohjcction  of  Spcakci'  -loc  Camion, 
who,    for    reasons   cliictiy   political,    was    bitterly    outspoken 
a,i;ainst  it.     On  the  other  hand.  Dele-ate  ,Mc(iuii'e  (U-clared 
that  it  Would  l)e  put  throuuh  tlu'  House  within  a  week.     Can- 
non's attitude  hd't  the  status  of  the  measure  in  surh  douht  that  ,'i 
the  Oklahoma  City  Chamber  of  Commerce  calU'd  another  of  ■ 
its  numerous  statrlidod  mass  meetings.     It  sent  lettei's  and                               ; 
telegrams  to  ],7-'t()  mayors  and  ju'esidi'Uts  of  tuwn  boards  in 
as  many  cities  and  towns  of  the  two  Territories  urging  them                             \ 
to  eonununicate  to  AVashington,  and  Speaker  Cannon  in  par-           .^                  | 
tieular,  the  demand  of  Oklahoma  people  fiu-  })assage  of  the           _,                   p- 
bill.    At  this  meeting  the  boosters  revived  a  ])ractice  of  former                              ; 
days  and  ai)i)li(Hl  the  nudtiiilicatiou  tabic  to  it,  that  of  every 
man  getting  in  touch  with  senators  and  re})resentatives  of  the 
state  from  which  he  came,  if  he  were  not  a  native.    ^Eessages             '                 .    -. 
of  this  character  illustrated  the  cosmopolitanism  of  the  ixipu- 
lation,  for  they  were  sent  into  nearl\- e\-ery  state  (d' the  Union.           ,          •        (, 

Even  all  this  did  not  quite  satisfy  the  leaders.     They  had  „  f 

set  out  to  turn  hea\'en  and  eartli.  and  they  feare<l  nothing  ^■ 

short  of  a  human  thunderbcdt  would  I'ift  the  nmrk  in  AVash-  ;  | 

ington.     So  they  had  a  call  issued  for  a  meeting  ut  the  State-  -t 

hood  Executive  Connnittee  of  the  Territories.     It  was  held  _  h' 

March  21st  in  Shawnee,  and  l.OOO  grindy  determined  dele-  [ 

gates  sul)scribed   to   a   memorial   that   ai)j)arentl\-   would   be  ^  |' 

irresistible  to  politicians  at  AVasliington  who  were  luunoved  '|'. 

by   other   appeals.      A   similar   menioi-ial    was    adopted   and  [;    . 

oi'dered  transnutted  directly  to  the  Presideiit.    To  strengthen,  r   . 

the  cause  in  the  AVhitc  1  louse  the  <lelcgates  made  ( 'apt.  Charles  f 

Hunter,  a  Kough  Rider  A'eteran.  chaiinnan  of  the  convention.  I 

Early  in  the  year  Cajit.  hh'ank  J-'rantz.  another  Rough  Eider  ?  ", 

whom  the  Pi'esident  officially  reniemliered.  had  been  inaugu-  •  i 

rated  as  governor  of  Oklahoma,  and  to  the  ap})ointmcnt  of  I- 

Erantz  was  attached  a  political  speculation  the  sum  and  suli-  I    - 

stance  of  which  was  that  perhaps  the  President  didn't  desire  .       ■  '         ^ 

the  new  govei-nor's  term  to  be  undid)-  abbrex'iated  nor  the 
democrats  given  soon  an  oi.poitiinity  to  get  hold  of  the  reins  J; 

id'  go\-ernment.     Sueh  assuiii[itions  may  ha\-e  been  unfounded. 

The  Senate,  as  Oklaliouians   \-iewed   it,  was   in  a   meddle-  " 

some  mood  while  it  discii>sed  and  .•ma>culate,l  the  bill.     X,,t 
content  with  biirdciiiim-  it  \\\\\\  a  prohibition  rider,  the  Senate 


i)'i';ii>l)    .(J(t;',!/:    (In-'.lMd   .hrtf.if  •Dfijn  ■.(!? 

-It,.  ^     .>i'ri-/    I.    iM;t:7/-  ■^^i^'.li  ■»(!?  di'tuii'-  ' 

I;,;,.   ^I'Mi'.i    h'  ■■:    ;!  !        ■■',';;->■■!■.         ,,.-    :■..•  ;'  .U:\>  <V 

-■■:    f  'li  /roil  •!;''*  ■i-i>i •■.•><;>;  lilt,    .rot..  f!-.i   ;;  7  <■♦    "tc-u-ffjuuifM)  t.i 

jiij    V.^      '■::■■    ■    J     ;'i'l       '.i^'Ji;    (,i  H- n  i  i,  " ,  v  »    ;  1 1    ;)ifMflo;i     nil   ,-(i;|/!^jit 
i-ji!  ■    '•    I'.  '.  -    ,■>•■:     ■    :.     ■  i-'t  t  >■•     ■■■;,    .      ,     ■.,    ■  ;M't-.((!  ;-:ii!l  jA      .(li't 

-   ■    ^■   -     ■ :  >       .-.  •■   .  -  ;  i  I'  1.   ■  •■  :.,  '  ,-f  i-  ,'i  u!ii' !  ■':  iu;nf 

-•:-■'.            ,.  ■  .1-.  (    •     !■  ,1  '.    ■  -  '  .:'■    ':  '    .  ■■■■■■    r..   r.       !  .'/  iMm'i'I   '.l';!^ 

--!.;     :;   -  .,;    .       (;:•;,       -!    ■;,.-       •  •  ■:..:      ■.  ,;-,;ii;      ■^I-m;-.  (;!!•-  -iill  "t" 

■•    .;-    1     ■:„■■,■   '  ■,,-        ,   ■■/  .        ;  :.     .     :     :      v;    .'.'iF-rc')  .Mwih:! 


-,;    I  ■  ■    :■',;;';-;   it,    i-;[^   il  anl/l- 

K  ;;      ,   ■■  .       '■■■■■      -j    i;.i!i>;i^->-i-!f 

■'  ;  .\'  ,■'  :  .  ;'■■  >  !'.''•',  ■)!;]  ili  '\-\lu'\ 
:  ...  ,  j',  li:-  'i;  M.i-  ■  I'i  'Jilj  iil^'dv/- 
.  ;i;!."(;;i;l!  >    ]■■>   ■\^<^■■  ;"7.ii:   '•i.   J)')tn'i 


278       .  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  (JTY 

niade  prt)visi(>n  that  the  capital  uf  the  new  state  shuuhl  remain 
at  CJuthi-ie  fur  a  term  of  years.  This  i)i([ue(l  the  poimlation 
of  Okhilioma  City  as  no  other  nioditlcation  of  the  terms  of 
the  measure  had  ihrne.  for  it  was  always  t'vident  and  perfectly 
clear  that  one  of  thi-  important  reasons  wliy  the  c-ity  labored 
so  ardently  for  statehood  was  that  eventually  it  expected  to 
be  the  capital.  On  February  16th  Pj-esident  Htdcomb  of  the 
Chaml)er  of  Commerce  convoked  a  mass  assembly  and  it  forth- . 
with  named  Sidney  Clarke,  John  H.  Wriiiht  and  K.  E.  Staf- 
ford a  committee  to  draw  a  resolution  protesting  apiinst  the 
capital  amendment.  It  was  a  dignitied  resolution  with  some 
temperature,  profound  withal  and  eloquent  of  English,  de- 
claring no  precedent  existed  for  such  an  act,  asserting  that 
out  of  part  of  the  proceeds  of  lands  \alued  at  $5,000,000  the 
state  would  be  aide  to  erect  a  caidtal,  and  praying  that  the 
nnllion  and  a  lialf  ^leople  l)e  permitted  to  determine  the  cai)ital 
question  for  themselves.  C.  (J.  Jones  and  ^Ir.  Ilolcouib  were 
selected  to  take  the  resolution  to  tlie  Senate  and  Delegate 
^IcGuire. 

Pursuant  to  a  provision  of  the  act,  Go\'eruor  Frantz  called 
an  election  i'or  Xoveml)er  (Jth  to  choose  delegates  to  a  constitu- 
tional convention.  Democrats  of  the  Territories  imited  their 
organizations  for  the  campaign.  Init  republican  organizations 
remained  separate.  J.  L.  Hanion  of  Lawton  was  named  cam- 
paign manager  for  the  Oklahoma  republicans. 

Oklahoma  County  contained  two  constitutional  convention 
districts,  the  twenty-eighth  and  the  twenty-ninth.  ]n  the 
twenty-eighth  a  heated  controversy  arose  l)et\veen  -I.  L.  Brown 
and  1).  C.  Eewis.  reiniblican  candidates  for  delegate.  Ih'own 
advocating  constitutional  ^irohibition  and  Eewis  cq. posing  any 
sort  of  iirohibition.  Lewis  received  the  nomination.  Hugh 
^McCredie  was  the  nominee  in  the  other.  The  democratic 
nominees  in  the  districts  respectixely  were  A^'.  C.  Hughes  and 
John  L.  :\[itch.  The  Rev.  E.  O.  Whitwell  applied  to  tlie  court 
of  Judge  Purwell  for  a  writ  of  mandanms  to  conqul  the  elec- 
tion board  to  plac-e  his  name  on  the  ballot  as  the  candidate  of 
the  Tndiqtendent  League  in  the  Twenty-eiglith  district,  but  it 
was  denied. 

Republicans  and  democrats  alike  sought  advice  and  party 
entlnisiasm  from  stations  of  high  authoritv  outside  the  state. 


.■-  .lid 


>-'^ 


I"  i      •■■  '    -  ■     ■    1    ■  . 


:  'i;/''  Tf      I'l  .Mi(«.»'.  )  lie'  viii^.jijiii  ■Jiii 

-I,'  1    i::..l  -■'  -111-    -lii   t  >  ■III.  ♦i;iit   rB'>!'> 


I  ■'  i:i>li'.l;l4i   irii<\l;'i 


.1    I    .J.    ^,.  V 


:i  .  '■'   ,M.'i.'--.jHhir,) 


THE  STOKV  OF  OKLAIULMA  CITY  279 

democrats  more  than  repnhlicaiis  pcrliaijs,  for  the  rcpuljlii-aus 
were  far  from  being  a  unit.  Among  representati\'e  repuli- 
lieans  wiio  came  this  way  before  the  eleetion  was  \'iee  Presi-  . 
dent  Charles  \V.  Fairl)anks,  who  spoke  in  Okhilionia  (^ity  on 
October  22d.  lie  was  introihu-ed  by  Chairman  Jlanioii  and 
was  entertained  by  Cliief  Justice  Jolm  II.  J5urfor(h  (io\\'rnor 
Fraidv  Frantz,  C.  G.  Jones  and  other  repul)liean  leacUrs.  ]\Ir. 
Fairbaidcs  toured  Indian  Territtir\-  after  leaving  Okhdionia 
City. 

The  <lemocrats  elected  a  large  majority  <>t'  delegates  to  the 
convention,  including  both  n(jminees  from  ()klalionia  County. 
Mr.  Hughes  was  pronnnently  mentioned  for  ] (resident  of  the 
convention,  but  fomid  on  his  arrival  at  Cuthrie  that  William 
H.  Murray  of  Tishonnngo  \\as  far  in  the  lead  id'  favorites.  . 
The  comention  assemlded  Xo\('ml)er  20tli.  Mr.  .Murray  Avas 
elected  ^(resident  and  John  M.  Voung  of  Lawti'ii,  secretary. 
William  A.  Durant.  who  foi-  many  }ears  thereafter  was  a  ^, 
leader  in  politics  and  active  in  pul)lic  life,  was  elected  sergeant 
at  arms. 

AVith  a  view  ((f  studying  conditions  in  the  Territories 
relative  principally  to  Indian  affairs,  a  comnnttee  of  dve 
membei's  rd'  the  Senate  toui'ed  the  Tei-ritories  in  Xoveml>cr  .:. 
and  on  Xovt-mbur  22d  was  entertained  in  ( )klahoma  City.  The 
comnnttee  consisted  cd'  I).  C.  Chirk  of  AVyonung.  Chester  I. 
Long  of  Kansas,  W.  A.  Clark  of  Montana,  Henry  .M.  Teller  of 
Colorado  and  F.  P.  Brandegee  of  Connecticut.  They  were 
entertained  by  a  connnittee  of  citizens  consisting  of  C.  G. 
Jones.  A.  II.  Classen,  Sidney  Clarke  and  others. 

Early  in  the  session  of  the  constitutional  comcidion  Dele- 
gate .Mitch  of  Oklahoma  City  subnntted  a  jiropositioii  to  the  _ 
convention  ju-oviding  that  the  people  of  the  state  should  have  ' 
the  opjioitunity  of  \-oting  (ui  the  location  <d'  a  permaiKmt  state 
capital  and  making  provision  f<(r  the  erectio)i  of  a  cai)itol  to 
cost  not  over  one  nullion  dollars  and  to  Ix^  coni]>li'ted  by 
January  1,  1914.  Delegate  (I.  M.  Tucker  of  Comanche  sub- 
mitted a  projjosition  iii-o\-iding  that  the  capital  should  be 
located  as  near  as  feasible  to  the  geographical  center  of  the 
state  and  that  the  name  (d'  the  <-apital  city  .-liould  be  ln<lia- 
homa.  the  name  svniliolizinL;-  the  coniuiictiou   (d'  the   Terri- 


K-      ';■)   );(■  lii  ■.!-|<'  III  ■>;'.. >(j.(  «;.i!v-   ,>  ,ii;  i;(''-ii)i'i  . /' 

Ji  "i  )■/..!)  Tii.t  iiiJi  .!  I  i:i;.i  I  ■■•jjrfi  !.;■);!!'  )  7ti  [I'j.i;,  J.J]  li  ;  ..;/// 


r    )*  <'jti; 


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o.i 

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••[  ^\':  -■.  \,  „['.''  ..■!>;  !!•■'  !;!M7iif' 
I  ■•  i)  ,  -.wl.'  ■  i  i  •'?!;:. /J  i  M|.:,,  -,iH 
..I  ,  ■  '••!  '■-:'[  u'"-  I,;i:i  i'lii;  iiJiif);-.) 
;;:i  ...  .,.  '-.  .,.  ,.■  ■"..■.,  }-iI  ■;-•■, 
1/  ,;>  -ij,;:  «i-.n  !  t',!i  ,f  vn;i!itf;I. 
^•'l^^:  ■■.■■;i|    ■!..;  [--  (|m  hj    >;    ii-)irjiij 


!i  ■-,     iii'.i:;( 


280  THE  ST()KY  OK  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

toric'S.  Dt'U'yate  IIu-lics  was  the  first  to  appinach  the  subject 
of  ijruliihitioii.  propusiiin  a  local  option  uieasuic. 

^liss  Kate  Barnard,  now  niatroji  of  the  Provident  Associa- 
tiou  of  Oklahoma  ('ity  and  a  nienil)i,'r  of  the  Central  Trades 
and  Labor  Council,  bcini;-  auil>iti<ius  to  advance  some  cherished 
reforms  and  also  ha\'in,L;-  }>olitical  aspirations,  came  impoi-- 
tantly  l)ef<ire  the  jiuldic  during-  the  convention  liy  advocatniG: 
measures  relatinuto  compulsory  I'ducation,  factory  ins})ection. 
an  eitiht-hour  work  day  and  child  lal)or.  In  preparation  for 
this  wo]-k  she  had  made  an  extensive  study  of  conditions  in 
Chica.^o  and  St.  I.ouis. 

Charles  X.  Haskell  al  Muskogee,  "who  with  other  Indian 
Territory  leaders  had  soUL^ht  to  write  a  constitution  for  and 
estaldish  the  State  of  Sequoyah,  and  who  subsequently,  as  the 
first  u'overiior  of  the  state,  ordi'red  the  iireat  seal  of  state 
moved  from  Guthrie  to  Oklahoma  City,  made  his  first  political 
appearance  in  Oklali<»ma  City  at  a  Jackson  Day  banquet  held 
January  8,  1906.  Four  hundred  representative  democrats  of 
the  Territories  attended.  It  was  without  douljf  the  most  im- 
portant gatherinii-  of  notables  of  the  democratic  party,  held 
solely  for  ])olitical  jiurposes.  that  had  assembled  in  the  Terri- 
tories. S.  :\L  Rutherford  .d'  .Musko-ve  presided.  A.  M.  Jack- 
son of  AVinfield,  Kan.,  foi'uierly  a  re[U-esentati\-e  in  Conurcss, 
was  the  guest  speaker.  Mr.  Haskell  spoke  on  "Hoav  to 
Organize."  The  theme  of  Judge  J.  L.  Car]»enter  of  ^languni 
was  "Party  Loyalty."  that  of  Freeman  Miller  of  Stillwater. 
"The  Power  of  the  Press,"  and  that  (d'  Judge  Henry  M.  Fur- 
man  of  Ada,  "The  Sovereignty  of  the  Citizen.""  Talks  were 
made  by  Leslie  P.  Ross  .d'  Lawton,  Robert  W.  Dick  .d'  Ard- 
niore.  Col.  William  Zevely  of  .Muskogee.  Leslie  Xiblack  of 
Guthrie.  Thomas  Doyle  (d'  Perry,  P.  S.  Russell  of  McAlester. 
T.  P.  Gore  of  Lawton.  J.  B.  A.  l?obertsou  .d'  Chandler.  Dan 
Peery  of  Carnegie.  Col.  J.  J.  McAlestt'r  (d"  .McAlester.  desse 
J.  Dunn  of  Alva  and  ( 'harles  West  (d'  Find,  all  of  whom  after- 
ward occupied  pronunciit  jdaces  in  [>ublic  or  i>olitical  life. 

On  December  lOth  of  tliis  year  J.  15.  Wheeler,  one  of  the 
city"s  re]iresentativc  citiz(Mis  dinl.  at  the  auc  (d'  eighty-one. 
He  had  donated  \\'hcclci-  Pai-k  to  the  city  in  a  foi'uicr  year 
and  since  that  time  had  been  a  member  of  tln'  pai'U  board. 
In  that  position   he  had  taken  an  actix'e  part   in   improving 


/■■(i 


•'i'MliMlnh'i  ;.■■!;•  (I  .li'Mi  /flH 


w/^j  1,,  vm,;>  •]  ;r 

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.•.Dr'.:n|     f,;,ll     „! 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  2S1 

and  bfautifyiiii;-  the  imi'k  that  was  td  he  a  iiiciiK-ruil  tu  him. 
He  was  a  native  of  New  V<.rk,  had  l)een  a  hanker  in  Micluiian 
and  as  an  Kighty-Xinei-  had  estal)lished  one  of  the  Hrst  hanks 
in  Oklahttnia  ( 'ity. 

The  Oklahoma  Iiailway  Company  was  chartered  on  De- 
cember 4th  with  a  capital  stock  (d'  ■<5.0(i().0(lO,  with  tlie  purjiose 
expiessed  in  the  clmitei'  of  con-tructin,L;-  170  mih'S  of  inter- 
urbau  lines  out  of  Okhihoma  City,  reacinn--  Norman,  Shaw- 
nee, Guthrie,  El  Reno  and  Purcell.  The  incoii>ni  ators  were 
FvAiik  AVells,  O.  K.  Rittenhonse.  C.  (i.  I'.arnes,  .J.  d.  d..lmson, 
Carlos  Combs,  Fred  S.  Combs  and  K.  L.  Lawson. 

One  of  the  most  ehxpient  ami  snbstantial  compliments  paid 
the  city  and  its  Chamber  of  ( 'onnnerce  durinu'  these  extremely 
busy  years  was  exi)ressi'd  by  Lee  Cruee  of  Ardniore  whih-  a 
guest  of  the  Chaml)er  on  an  occasion  during  this  year. 
"Oklahoma  ('ity  is  (.ne  of  the  most  wonderful  cities  on  the 
face  of  tlie  earth,"  he  said.  "1  have  found  here  toinght  that 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  is  one  <d'  the  l)est  organizations 
of  the  kind  west  of  the  ]Mississi})pi  Ri^•er.  Xo  town  can  grow- 
without  a  live  organization  like  this.  Your  ])Coph'  should  be 
proud  of  this  ('hamber  of  (,'onunerce ;  it  has  accomplished 
wiHiders. 

Other  ha})})enings  of  the  year  of  more  or  less  historical 
value  are  these:  Trustees  of  St.  Lidve's  Metliodist  Church, 
South,  bought  from  Edward  H.  Cooke  a  site  foi-  a  church  at 
Eighth  and  Robinson  for  ••$17,500  and  announced  that  plans 
for  a  large  edifice  were  being  drawn;  the  Eee  Hotel  was  sold 
to  Joseph  Huckins,  Joseph  Huckins,  dr.,  L.  AV.  Huckins  and 
Paul  Huckins;  A.  W.  :^l.d\ean<l  was  elected  secretary  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  to  succeed  J.  II.  dohuston,  and  AV.  E. 
Campbell,  secretary  of  the  Traffic  Association,  of  which  'Mr. 
Jolniston  remained  manager;  the  Eighty-Xiners  Association 
held  its  annual  ban<juet,  presided  over  by  Sauuiel  ('rocker, 
and  elected  Dr.  Delos  Walker  ju-esidcnt;  O.  A.  Mitschcr,  vice 
president;  ^y.  L.  Alexander,  secretary,  and  Oscai'  ivcagan. 
treasurer;  J.  1!.  Taylor  was  eh'cte(l  superintendent  of  schools 
to  succeed  l^dward  S.  Vau-ht,  and  K.  C.  da.-oliy  succeeded 
Mr.  Tayhu'  as  pi  iiu-ipal  nf  the  liiuh  scho,,] ;  ( 'itv  A-.  ss.u'  Dan 
P.  Wright  repoi'ted  that  the  total  valuation  of  city  properlv 
was  api.ioximatel.v   .-s2(i.r)(l(),(ii)(i ;  the    Federated    C.mmercial 


.'i      T:    .   .     'f'.l    ^i)X'.  't'»  a  •■.7-  h;li.[<-,  >  (;    iji  , 

I     '     '.   v.  "  -fl    ;     ;»    ,.,-   -f  -;■[  ,H   <>  ,-i(V/A  >lft.r?'! 


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282  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Clubs  of  tilt'  Tenitoi-ies  held  an  annual  nu'Ctiny  here  and  Lee 
Cruce  was  elected  president;  A.  W.  MeKeand  secretary,  and 
I.  M.  Holcunib,  treasurer;  the  Oklahoma  Natural  Gas  Cdui- 
pany,  anioni;'  the  directoi's  of  which  were  ( '.  !>.  Ames  and  I).  T. 
Flynn,  asked  fur  a  franchise,  pnmiisini;  U>  ]ii|»e  L;as  here 
within  a  short  time  and  sell  it  fur  (lumestie  consum})ti(in  at  35 
cents  per  1,000  cu)iic  feet;  the  City  Council  passed  a  resdlu- 
tiou  asking  Congress  t<>  donate  to  the  city  section  16  of  town- 
ship 12  north,  range  3  west ;  Delegate  McGuire  introduced  a 
bill  in  Congress  making  an  aj^jropriation  of  ^450.000  to  pur- 
chase a  site  for,  and  construct  a  Federal  building  in  the  citv. 


iwf- 


:    '  I'liLit  >  '^il,  .-crfil'i;-)  I  _ 
'   ,:  '  '  I'lii; ,/ 1.  .-,1.  j-i  )-;il> 'uiT  y,;(.>(/!f;  ,-/.ar><j 

,■'•'•••       ■'-     ,:i.l,:M,it:  '[■-'  :>iJ.;  ■•tiiit  t'lu:';-  •;  ni:li!7/ 


1907— POLITICS,  PEEJUJllCES  AND  VICTOKY 

Prusklcnt  Kooscwlt  issued  liis  ])r(K-l;unati(iii  nu  Xuve'iube'r 
16th  and  statelioud  was  an  accoiuplislied  fact.  The  eunstitu- 
tiun  -went  into  effect  and  under  it.  the  tirst  state  oftieials  tuuk 
the  oath  <d'  ottiee.  Chai-hjs  X.  Haskell  who  liad  been  a  meni- 
bei- of  the  constitutional  eiaix'ention  from  a  Muskogee  district, 
in  tile  ek'ction  (d'  Se])teinber  ]7th  cUd'eated  Frank  Frantz,  re- 
])ublican  nonunee  for  governor,  by  an  ox'erwhehning  major- 
ity, and  was  tlie  tirst  t<>  take  tlie  oiliciai  oath. 

Fifteen  ofHidals  cunstituted  tlie  executi\e  department  of 
government  and  foui-  (if  these  were  residents  (d'  Oklahoma 
City,  namely.  \Villiam  Cmss.  seci'etary  (d'  state;  T.  J.  Mc- 
Ooml).  insurance  cumndssioiier ;  Miss  \\i\tv  ISarnard.  eoumns- 
sioner  of  charities  and  (-((m'ctions.  and  ( 'harles  A.  Daugherty, 
labor  connuissioiier.  Other  dfhcials  who  afti^rwards  became 
residents  (d'  the  city  were  Charles  \\'est.  attoi'uey  general: 
^l.  E.  Tra}>]>.  au(lit(U-.  and  A.  P.  Watson,  corporation  cnnmus- 
sioner.  Samuel  A\'.  Hayi'S.  a  memlier  oi  the  lirst  Sujireme 
Court  and  dni-ing  his  term  a  chicd'  justict-.  after  retirement 
from  the  bench,  became  a  resident  (d'  the  (dty. 

Down  nearly  to  the  \-ery  week  td'  the  issuance  of  the  Presi- 
dent's ])ruc]aniatiou  there  was  doubt  of  executive  ajijiroval 
of  the  constitution.  The  i)istrumeiit  had  l>een  de(dared  liy 
W.  J.  Pi'yan  to  be  one  (d'  the  greatest  uf  documents  uf  human 
libei'ty  and  self-government,  and  it  had  been  declared  by  Wil- 
liam IT.  Taft.  then  secretary  of  war.  to  l)e  hom^vcomlied  with 
prejudices  and  radical  (lo(di-int's  and  consei|Uently  unfit  for 
adoption.  The  democrats  were  \irtually  solidly  united  in  its 
support  and  the  re}iublicans  were  divide<l.  A  large  element 
nl  the  latter  i^arty  took  the  view  expressed  by  C.  (i.  Jones 
after  its  a(lo]>tion.  that  Statehood  was  (h'sired  above  all  else 
and  that  if  the  constitution  was  found  to  contain  olije(diouable 
features  he  tinisted  to  the  ;rood  sense  nt  thv  people  to  later 
amend  it.     Pepublican  speakers  condenmed  it  on  the  stump 


.,./.  -<.!  M»n.  'h*1  ,>i'>lTLi«_)a— voci 


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2St  TIIK  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

and  ]jassi(inately  a(l\-(icatc(l  its  rejection.  Hut  the  iiistrunu'iit 
was  siibjt'ftfd  t(i  its  scwi-fst  trials  in  the  courts. 

The  dciiKicrats  of  the  <-(nn-<'nti(»ii  drifted  far  into  the 
le,uis]ati\-e  held  and  incoi  ]Miratctl  in  the  constitution  not  a  few- 
tenets  (d'  the  ])arty  that  were  suhjects  td'  <U'bate  between  the 
liai-ties.  Anionu'  these  were  jiroxusions  foi-  separate  coaidies 
and  sepai'ate  waitin.u'  rooms  for  white  and  cidored  persons 
and  tile  iintiati\-e  and  r(d'eren(hun.  These  and  otlier  pr(_>vi- 
sions  were  hehl  by  republican  lea(h'rs  in  the  eanii)aiLin  to  con- 
stitute violations  of  thi'  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 
Others  of  less  moment  were  declared  to  l)e  in  eonti'aventiou 
of  the  Eiialdini;-  Act.  Amonu'  the  latter  were  the  election  pro- 
visions and  those  that  sul)di\ided  couiUies,  established  county 
seats  and  named  temporary  county  comnussioners.  Summinc,' 
u})  all  pai'tisan  ol).iections.  (^'harles  11.  Filson,  territorial  secre- 
tary, declined  to  receive,  from  President  ^lurray  the  copy  of 
the  insti'ument  offered  for  official  registration.  Judge  I^an- 
coast  held  in  a  case  arising  in  Woods  (?(tunty  involving  the 
ajipointuient  of  county  connnissiouers  that  the  constitution 
makers  made  the  appointments  without  authority.  This  was 
appealed  to  the  Territ(U'ial  Supreme  Court  and  the  Pancoast 
decision  reversed. 

While  this  case  was  pending  and  while  l;*resident  Murray 
was  carrying  the  constitution  ai-ound  in  his  pocket  and  threat- 
ening to  call  an  election  to  submit  the  constitution,  a  meeting 
of  statehood  advocates,  consisting  lu'iucipally  of  democrats, 
was  held  in  Oklahoma  <  'ity  and  a  delegation  of  lawyers,  ^A'.  A. 
Ledbetter,  Sanmel  \V.  Hayes  and  Charles  Moore,  all  members 
of  the  constitutional  conwntion,  was  selecteil  to  confer  with 
President  liOose\-cdt.  In  due  time  the  con\-ention  reassembled 
in  (luthrie  and  made  some  anienilments  that  ox'ercanie  the  re- 
jiublican  objections  and  others  that  wei'c  found  necessary 
after  the  delegates  had  been  home  and  listened  to  expressions 
of  their  constituents.  The  convention  re<-onunended  Septem- 
l)er  17th  as  a  dixXv  for  sid)nutting  the  instrument  to  the  people 
and  th<'  election  of  state  officials  and  adjourned  finally  on  did\- 
l.lth.  Meantime  powerful  influences,  inside  the  T.'rritories 
and  out,  lioth  «d'  political  and  conuuercial  shades,  wwv  lirouulit 
to  bear,  with  the  result  that  all  legal  controversies  were  ter- 


.-■J'..:    ;■;    ;'!:   Ill   -Ici  Ij   1".;m  /•,-   >?!  u1  1,1 

''•ii;      !::'l     J)-,,J"' ;•]!,.     il  i;  rrr  ,  Mii')     ■.([;     'in    ^-Tj-.-fiod 

:■.  to(.    i;.  illlth-    ii".    ,1,1   ;il   I  •■> '  r.'li ;,  j  i  wfl  i   iill ;;  f  ■I'll  'ivil/;|i<fi'')l 

--   ^  ■,:;-   ::::,     '      '■'  '■       M-:  -:    ■■    ^:  -      ■■[■;, -iti:-     .;!l    ].:•,; 


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•        iir,,     -;;.   p  ,  ,i.|..     .l.-.lMi).! 

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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIKJ.MA  CITY  2S7 

ininated  aud  GoveriKjr  Fraiitz  and  Scci'etaiy  Filsuii  issued  a 
call  fur  an  election  to  Ije  held  mi  September  17th. 

Caucuses,  primaries  and  eonventinns  were  held  that  re- 
sulted in  the  selection  of  (U-moeratic  and  republican  tickets, 
the  former  headed  by  Mr.  Jlaskell  and  the  latter  by  Governor 
Frantz.  Haskell  defeated  J.ee  Cruce  nH  Ardmore  for  the 
nomination  after  a  historically  acrnnonious  campaiiin.  T.  P. 
Gore  of  Lawton  defeated  M.  L.  '■rurH<'r  nt  Oklahoma  City  and 
Eoy  Hoffman  of  Chandler  for  the  nomination  for  United 
States  senator  for  the  western  division  uf  the  state,  and  Roli- 
ert  L.  Owen  defeated  Judge  Henry  ^I.  Furman  for  the  nomi- 
nation in  the  eastern  division.  Elmer  L.  Fulton  of  Oklahoma 
City  was  the  democratic  nonunee  for  Conjiress  in  the  Second 
District.  All  democratic  nominees  for  state  and  congressional 
offices  were  elected,  except  that  Bird  S.  McGuire  of  Pawnee, 
republican,  was  elected  to  Congress  from  the  First  District. 

Provisions  of  the  Enal)ling  Act  relating  to  electiojis  were 
so  variously  interpreted  by  students  of  law  that  it  became  a 
serious  question  early  in  the  year  whether  city  elections  should 
be  held  prior  to  adoption  of  the  constitution.  Attorney  Ed- 
ward S.  Yaught  of  Oklahoma  City  tiled  in  the  District  Court 
application  for  an  order  restraining  George  Hess,  city  clerk, 
from  registering  voters  and  ]>reventing  the  holding  of  an  elec- 
tion on  April  2d,  the  date  fixed  liy  the  statutes  of  the  Terri- 
tory. ^Nlayor  ]\lesseul)augh  ali'eady  liad  issued  a  call  for  the 
election.  Yaught  contended  that  the  call  and  the  registration 
of  voters  were  in  violation  of  the  Enabling  Act  which  pro- 
vided that  persons  holding  ])ul)lic  office  should  continue  to 
serve  until  their  successors  were  elected  and  qualified  under 
laws  to  ]k'  adopted  by  the  new  state.  The  case  went  to  Chief 
Justice  Burford  and  he  ruled  that  citv  elections  should  he 
held. 

For  mayor  the  democrats  nominated  Heiu'y  ^M.  Scales  and 
the  republicans  J.  H.  John.stou.  The  charge  of  corporation 
influence  against  the  republican  candidate,  a  charge  that  had 
accomplished  satisfactory  results  for  the  democrats  in  the  con- 
vention campaign  and  duiing  sessions  of  the  convention,  was 
effective  in  the  city  campaiun  and  ^Nli'.  Scales  was  elected  by 
a  substantial  majority. 

0]-ganization  of  the  Oklahoma  State  Fair  Association  was 


!ylt^      !    >      fd^ 


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2S8  THE  STonV  (>F  OKLAHOMA  CITV 

IK'i-tcctrd  this  yvdv  and  it  <-(,iitr;u-tcd  foi-  the  use  of  statr  s.-hool 
land  adjnininL;-  tlu'  city  on  tlic  cast  as  an  ('X[)(>sitit>n  site.  A 
tempi irary  ()i-iianizatii»n  was  pcrft'cted  .raiiuar}'  Kith  l)y  the 
eU'ctidU  of  <'.  (J.  Jones  as  pi'esidi'Ut  and  A.  W.  .McKeand  as 
secretary.  Two  days  later  a  lueetini;-  more  largely  atteiidcil 
was  hehl  and  a  conmuttee  consisting  of  Seymour  Ileyman.  A. 
H.  Classen,  Dr.  F.  M.  Jordan,  Frank  H.  Sh.dley,  F.  IJracht. 
AVeston  Atwood,  George  Clardner  and  ('.  <i.  Jones  was  ;ip- 
poiuted  to  apply  for  a  charter.  On  February  21,  tlie  charti^r 
having  been  granted,  officers  and  direetoi'.s  were  elected  as 
foUows:  C.  G.  Junes,  president;  L.  L.  Land,  vi(-e  president: 
Frank  H.  Shelley,  .secretary,  and  Seymour  ITeyman,  treas- 
urer, and  E.  E.  Alkire,  Y.  L.  Bath,  l)r.  J.  M.  Jordan,  Oscar 
Lee,  C.  H.  Keller,  C.  B.  Sites,  AV.  F.  Y..ung,  J.  L.  ^Vilkin.  C. 
F.  Cok'ord,  Samuel  Finley  and  1.  ^[.  Putnam. 

Chaml)er  of  Commerce  activities  during  the  year  were 
largely  of  a  l)nsiness  nature.  excei»t  foi-  entertainment  re- 
quired by  virtue  of  the  ])olitical  cnmiiaigns.  it  was  a  year 
of  almost  unprecedented  groAvth.  The  Imsiness  districts, 
wholesale  and  retail,  were  spreading  .so  rayjidly  and  inquiries 
from  tile  world  coming  in  such  great  muubers  tliat  tlie  Cham- 
ber found  it  necessar_\-  to  devote  itself  to  taking  care  of  what 
it  had  and  what  was  in  siglit  instead  of  reaching  out  for  more. 
It  was  disai)pointed  that  tlie  I'^'deral  census  re]M»rt  showed 
the  city  to  lun'e  a  iMi])ulation  of  only  :'')2.4.")2.  whereas  figures 
altove  forty  tliousand  liad  been  expected.  Rei»m'ts  of  real 
estati'  transfers  and  building  ]»ermits  every  month  were  an 
index  to  a  de\-elopnient  of  magnitude  beyoinl  most  sanguine 
expectations.  Real  estate  transfers  during  some  months  went 
l)eyond  tile  million  and  a  half  mark.  I'a^-ing  was  being  ex- 
tended i-ai»idly  and  at  the  l>eginning  <d'  the  year  it  was  pre- 
dicted that  over  three  million  dollars  would  I>e  expended  dur- 
ing the  year  on  leaving.  No  incentive  to  all  this  was  more 
influential  than  the  guarantee  of  statehood. 

The  ( 'haniber  again  induced  real  estate  dealers  to  foi-m  an 
organization.  Sixty  dealers  out  of  a  total  of  107  attended 
the  organization  meeting  that  was  ]iresided  over  by  A.  IT. 
Classen  and  of  whi.-li  A.  W.  M.-Keaiid  acted  as  se.-retary.  A 
committee  consi^tinu-  id'  Joveph  Hess,  (Uiy  Hlackwelder.  J. 
H.  Johnston.  ( ).  F.  Workman  and  F.  \'.  Moran  was  ap])ointed 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  (ITV  289 

to  draft  11  eoiistitution  and  Iiydaws.  CliaiulxT  otlicials  were 
sj^onsor  also  for  the  organization  uf  the  Hundred  and  I'itty 
Thousand  Club,  the  eliief  object  of  whieli  was  to  inerea-e  the 
poiDulatiou  of  the  eit\-  to  tliat  number  by  11)14.  it  was  eoui- 
posed  of  one  or  more  members  from  each  (d'  tlie  sewi  al  indus- 
trial and  professioual  organizations.  .\lr.  Classen  was  its 
lirst  president  and  C.  J.  Pratt,  (J.  E.  Gardner,  iJobert  Scott, 
J.  \\'.  \'a]i  Kim  and  J.  H.  Johnston  constituted  the  executive 
comuuttee. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  tlie  Eighty-Niners  Association 
in  April  a  connnittee  composed  of  C.  (I.  Jones,  J.  L.  Brown 
and  Sidney  Clarke  was  appointed  by  President  ^\'allcer  to 
solicit  funds  witli  wliicli  to  erect  a  monument  to  tlie  memory 
of  Captain  Coudi.  Another  committee  comjiosed  of  0.  A. 
Mitsclier,  Sidney  Clarke  and  Asa  Jones  was  api>ointed  U> 
assist  a  committee  of  a  Territorial  association  that  purj)osed 
erecting  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  Captain  i^ayne. 
Former  Governor  T.  B.  Ferguson  attended  the  annual  ban- 
quet and  delivered  the  principal  address.  Dr.  Delos  AValker 
was  reelected  president.  Sidney  Clarke  was  elected  vice 
president  and  J.  A.  J.  Baugus.  secretary. 

A  distinguished  visitor  of  the  year  was  James  Bryce  of 
Great  Britain,  formerly  ami)assador  to  the  United  States, 
who  stopped  here  on  his  way  to  tlie  Kiowa  and  Comauche 
Indian  country  where  he  Avas  to  visit  Quanah  Parker,  noted 
Comanche  chief,  and  (U'ronimo.  the  Apache  warrior  whom 
General  Miles  had  captured  and  who  was  then  a  jirisoner  id' 
war  on  the  Fort  Sill  military  reserxation.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  former  Governor  1).  R.  Francis  of  Missouri  and 
S(»me  other  men  oi  lesser  note,  lie  deli\"ercd  a  briid'  address 
in  the  Overhoher  Opera  House.  l)eing  introduced  by  Doctor 
Bradford  of  l-]]»wortli  University. 

Selection  (d'  a  site  fiU'  the  Federal  Duilding  was  made  in 
June,  after  a  lively  contest  between  property  owners  and  i-eal 
estate  dealers  interested  in  several  sites  proposed.  Fi\-e  lots 
were  acquired  at  the  corner  of  Bdlunson  A\-enue  and  Third 
Street.  They  were  owned  by  John  Burt.  A.  Ketcham  and 
Mrs.  E.  Epstein,  then  of  Lawton.  and  were  apprais.'d  at  s^O,- 
000.  Burt,  who  owned  the  corner  lot.  was  ret„,rtcd  to  have 
named  a  prii-e  of  >;.').()i)0.  l)ut  :\\'x*-v  the  site  selection  was  made 


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290  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY  | 

lie  made  a  price  of  $25,000.  AVlicn  Buit  detiuitely  declined  to 
uegutiate,  au  appraisal  couuiiittee  was  appointed  consisting 
of  Wliit  M.  Grant,  Xewton  Avey  and  F.  J.  ^lerrill,  and  there 
the  matter  rested  for  tlie  time  being. 

A  bond  issue  totaling  .^-50,000  was  voted  in  the  September 
election  fur  water  and  sewer  extension  purposes  and  to  liqui- 
date some  old  city  debts.  Mayor  Scales  originally  aslced 
authority  of  the  council  to  call  for  an  issue  of  -f 325,000. 

The  Oklahoma  City  Street  Railway  Company,  which  this  ii 

year  increased  its  capital  stock  from  $1,000,000  to  $3,000,000,  f 

announced  that  it  was  soon  to- expend  $200,000  in  erecting  a  |' 

power  house,  and  $180,000  in  imiDroving  its  park  at  Belle  ^ 

Isle,  a  small  resort  that  had  rapidl}-  grown  in  popularity,  and  '« 

that  it  hoped  before  long  to  construct  an  interurban  to  Brit-  I 

ton  and  Edmond.  ! 

Ten  thousand  persons  attended  the  first  State  Fair,  which 
opened  its  gates  October  5.    Luther  Jones,  the  eleven-year-old  " 

son  of  C.  G.  Jones,  president  of  the  fair  association,  pressed  ; 

the  button  that  flooded  the  exposition  with  lights  and  by  that 
act  the  exposition  was  officially  opened.    The  first  ticket,  the  f 

number  of  which  was  1001,  was  purchased  by  E.  L.  Gore,  an  • 

Oklahoma  City  traveling  salesman,  and  President  Jones  kept 
it  as  a  souvenir  of  the  occasion.  Some  formal  ceremonies 
were  indulged  in.  Graves  Leeper  presided  over  the  little 
gathering  of  men  and  women  at  the  gate  and  speeches  were 
made  by  President  Jones  and  C.  X.  Haskell,  the  governor- 
elect. 

This  was  an  era  of  experiments  in  government  and  what 
was  popularly  known  as  the  commission-form  of  city  gov- 
ernment was  gaining  favor  over  the  country.  The  progressive 
Chamber  of  Commerce  therefore  decided  that  tlu'  aldermanic- 
form  had  outlived  its  usefulness  here  and  proposed  to  con- 
struct a  city  charter  that  would  provide  the  commission-form. 
President  H.  Y.  Thompson  appointed  a  committee  headed  l)y 
O.  D.  Halsell  to  inquire  into  the  feasibility  of  making  a 
charter.  ]Mr.  Halsell  appointed  a  sub-committee  consisting 
of  J.  H.  Johnston,  Judue  J.  P.  Keaton.  C.  G.  Jones  and  S.  J. 
^lurphy,  and  on  Xovember  13  this  committee  reported  that 
it  found  uuich  to  conuuend  in  the  ]U'(qiosc(l  reform.  Soon 
thereafter  President  Tlionq)son  named  a  conunittee  of  fifty 


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ST.  LUKK'S  .M.  K.  CHUKCH,  SOUTH 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  LITV  293 

to  iii;ui,i;ui';itc  a  caiiqiainii  for  a  cliaitcr  elrctioii.  AVlicii  the 
niattor  was  tirst  disciissi'd  In-  the  city  council  in  session.  City 
Attorney  T.  (i.  rhanil)ers  tohl  the  cimncil  it  was  his  oi)inion 
tliat  a  charter  could  not  i>e  ad^jited  unless  pinxision  was 
made  for  such  a  government  li\'  an  act  of  the  Legislature.  The 
Chamher  of  Commerce  Cumniittee  id'  Fift\-  thereupon  was 
instructed  to  draft  a  hill  to  he  presented  tip  the  Legislature, 
but  the  connnittee  Avas  nut  convinced  l)y  the  Iduic  of  Attorney 
Chambers  and  it  proeeeded  also  to  the  circulation  (d'  a  pe- 
tition asking  the  mayor  to  call  an  election  tn  clKiose  a  l)oard 
of  freeholders  to  write  a  charter.  There  the  matter  ended  as 
a  part  of  the  chain  of  events  of  this  year. 

Sinmltaneously  with  the  adoption  (d'  the  constitution  and 
tlie  election  of  state  officers,  the  voters  of  Oklahoma  adopted 
as  a  separate  proposition  a  prohibition  article,  and  at  the 
advent  of  statehood  salodus  were  closed.  Closing  was  a  make- 
shift, however,  on  the  part  of  some  saloon  keepers  of  Okla- 
homa City.  Some  keepers  who  consulted  Sheriff  George  "\V. 
Garrison  were  advised  that  he  meant  to  enforce  the  law.  A 
meeting  attended  by  some  foTu-  thousand  persons  was  held  on 
November  25  in  celebration  of  the  prohilntion  victory,  and 
Governor  Haskell,  who  had  Iieen  a  champion  of  prohibition 
in  the  constitutional  convention,  made  a  speech. 

Some  saloon  keepers  contested  the  act  in  the  court  of 
District  Judge  George  ^V.  Clark,  who  was  the  first  man  under 
statehood  to  fill  that  offic-e  in  Oklahoma  County.  They  con- 
tended that  the  article  was  not  legal  because  it  was  not  in- 
corporated in  the  constitution,  because  the  convention  was 
without  authority  to  ]iass  upon  the  subject,  because  the  ar- 
ticle was  not  filed  with  tlie  territorial  secretary,  and  because 
it  was  in  contravention  of  the  Enalding  Act.  Judge  Clark 
prom])tl}'  denied  them  an  injunction.  Later.  Yeatman  Smith, 
a  saloon  keej^er,  under  arrest  charged  with  selling  intoxicat- 
ing licjuors,  was  denied  a  writ  nf  habeas  corpus  by  District 
Judge  J.  K.  Li.we  of  l^l  Reno,  who  upheld  the  i)r(.hii)ition  act. 

Capitol  Hill,  a  village  adjoining  the  city  on  the  south  that 
had  ac(|uired  a  population  of  nearly  two  thousand  and  devel- 
(t])ed  into  a  Imsiness  connnunity  nf  considerable  conse(|uence, 
broke  into  the  limelight  during  the  latter  i-art  of  the  year 
when  the  board  (d'  trustees  passed  a  I'esohition  declaring  TL 


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294  THE  ST()1;Y  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

C.  Schilling,  pi-csidi'iit  of  the  l»i>;n'd,  lax'sidcnt  iiu  longer,  and 
proceeded  to  till  the  vacaney  with  M.  F.  Ivowlett.  Sehilliny 
protested  and  declared  the  act  of  the  board  illegal.  Dr.  ^V. 
R.  Clement,  town  clerk,  who  was  an  inflnential  leader  in  the 
village,  ga\e  it  as  his  oi)inion  that  ^Ir.  Schilling  had  l)een 
strii>ped  of  authority.  Schilling  applied  to  the  court  for 
relief,  the  hoard  ordered  his  official  telephone  discontinued, 
and  thereupon  the  contro\-ersy"s  confusion  was  lost  in  the 
din  of  ringing  l)ells  and  tooting  whistles  that  signalled  the 
end  of  a  year. 

The  arrival  of  the  lirst  flow  of  natural  gas  into  the  city 
was  duly  celebrated  on  Decenilier  7.  Newspapers  reported 
that  5,000  persons  joined  in  a  demonstration  held  at  Tenth 
Street  and  Central  Avenue  that  l>egan  Avhen  "W.  L.  Tull. 
chairman  of  the  advertising  connnittee  of  the  Hundred  and 
Fifty  Thousand  Club,  punctured  the  gas  main.  The  roar  of 
escaping  gas  was  as  welcome  as  had  l)een  the  pop  of  a  military 
gun  on  that  memorable  April  day  in  '89,  and  the  acclaiming 
chorus  of  the  congregated  populace  simulated  the  howls  and 
cheers  of  another  day.  The  main  was  punctured  with  a  touch 
of  formality.  Present  were  Dennis  T.  Flyim,  president  of 
the  Oklahoma  Natural  Gas  Company;  V.  Hastings,  manager 
of  the  coni]»any:  F.  A.  Tidman,  manager  of  the  Oklahoma 
Gas  &  Electric  Company,  and  A.  W.  ]McKeand,  secretary  of 
the  Chamlxn-  of  Commerce. 

G.  B.  Stone  was  elected  president  of  the  Cham1)er  of 
Commerce  for  the  ensuing  year  and  he  and  W.  S.  Guthrie. 
B.  C.  House!.  :\I.  M.  :\roberiy.  F.  A.  Gross,  TT.  :Sl  Westfall. 
S.  L.  Bro.-k,  J.  H.  Johnston,"  J.  D.  Thomas.  O.  P.  Workman. 
Homer  Filer.  H.  J.  ^lillei-,  Weston  Atw^.od.  H.  Y.  Thom].son, 
J.  :\I.  Owen.  A.  H.  Classen  and  J.  H.  Everest  constituted  the 
new  board  <d'  diri'ctors. 

During  this  year  l^lward  Dyche  succeeded  L.  W.  Baxter 
as  territoi'ial  auditor;  -T.  B.  Thoburn  took  charge  of  an  ex- 
hibit sent  l)y  Oklahoma  to  the  Jamestown  Exposition;  a  law 
School  of  Eiiworth  University  was  e.sta1jlished  with  C.  B. 
Ames  as  dean  and  Harry  Ti.  Snyder,  secretary  of  the  faculty: 
on  Septemlier  2  the  c(U'ner  stone  of  St.  Luke's  :\1.  F.  Churcli. 
South,  was  laid;  ou  October  .1  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
aiuiounced  that  SliG  buildings  had  1)een  erected  in  the  citv 


Yu^.f'  :i;;r 


7   .(''     .'.■'ii'i  ./I  ,(«'    ii'i  ■].>  t'.i;  Jilt  (.M-!f,!>*'4j  hiMi 

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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  295 

within  twelve  months;  C.  G.  Junes,  who  had  been  ek-cted  to 
a  seat  in  the  lower  house  of  tlie  tirst  state  Legishiture,  an- 
nounced that  he  had  i)repared  a  hill  ]>r()\-idiiii^-  for  the  invest- 
ment in  good  securities  nf  the  sO.( K K ).( )i )( )  ( 'ou^ress  liad  api-tro- 
priated  f\)r  the  state  in  the  Kuahliu-  Act:  .\h(y()r  Henry 
Scales  at  Muskogee  was  elected  pi-esideut  nf  the  (Oklahoma 
Mimieipal  J.eayue  and  (u'di-c  Hess  of  Oklahoma  City  was 
made  a  mem))ei-  of  the  eonnuittee  on  resolutions;  Edward 
Overholser  resi.uiied  as  county  connuissioncr  and  Governor 
Haskell  tilled  the  vacancy  with  Georue  Carrieo;  AV.  C.  Reeves 
and  Mont  F.  Hiij,hley  of  Oklahoma  City  and  (leorge  Henshaw 
of  Madill  and  E.  G.  Sjtillman  nt  Khigfisher,  both  of  Avhom 
later  were  residents  of  the  city,  "were  appointed  assistants 
to  Attorney  General  Cliarles  AVest :  E.  L.  Fulton,  tirst  con- 
gressman fi'om  the  disti'ict.  announced  he  would  ask  Congress 
to  appropriate  .yEOOO.UOO  for  a  Fiyh-ral  site  and  l)uilding;  on 
December  30  the  Xew  State  l.rcwing  Association,  amidst  ex- 
citing and  unusual  scenes  and  nmcli  hihirity.  emptied  into 
the  sewers  l.'>i)()  gallons  of  l)eer  said  to  have  lieen  valued  at 
t"\vent\'-seven  thousand  dollars. 


i'i!i;sn)i:xT  i;ousf,vi:!.t'^5  I'Koclamatiox  .  :,     ■ 

"By  the  President  of  the  Uiuted  States  of  America— A  Proc- 
lamation: 

"Whereas,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  did  l)y  an 
act  approved  oii  the  ]Gth  day  id'  .Tune,  one  thousand  nine 
Inmdred  and  six.  provide  that  the  inluilhtauts  of  the  territory 
of  Oklahoma  au<l  of  the  Indian  Teri-itoi'y  nnght,  under  and 
upon  the  conditions  ])rescribe(l  in  said  act,  adopt  a  constitu- 
tion and  biM-ome  tlie  state  of  Oklahoma,  and 

""Whereas,  Ijy  the  said  act  i)rovision  was  duly  made  for 
the  election  <d'  a  constitution;d  convention  to  form  a  cimsti- 
tution  and  state  go\"ernment  for  the  said  proposed  state;  and 

"AVhereas,  it  a])pears  from  the  information  laid  before  me 
that  such  convention  was  duly  elected  aiul  snc-h  constitution 
and  state  go\'erument  were  tliereby  duly  fornieil.  and 

"A\diereas,  1)\-  the  said  ;ict  the  said  convention  was  further 
authorized  and  eni[»owered  to  pro\-ide  by  ordinance  for  sub- 


"   l.'l        (.-,)     Ill),      .■Ki'ij     -,in;i";      .TIM.  -1.    \'-)"-^<.-yi     •!•V-^l^»fh•J70 

■   ■-'  ^     •'        '  '    ■■■'•     ..>:■'■,■>■  /I     '!■•-■       ■;-'''     ''1     ('i-t'-.    '  '  :!;j-i'^    ^o 

:  -;::   '        ■      ■    -.,      .,.       ;;    ..,',./:  ■     -!,    ■<:■■:   !    •      n:   i  <  .  f ,  .  r,  .-.i ,;   ;,* 


T   -V,    I.m;,    rnnJ,;hU)  ') ,  • 

;-      ,\\\      MM.,   »'kI     i>!t/l    ilul) 

i!^    7<l   .',:M-,.Hi7/^- 
..    ,.  .,;,'M,s,,-.   (I-,;,-:  j,ult 


296  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

iiiittiii!;-  the  said  e(»iistitiitii>n  to  tlie  people  uf  the  said  state 
for  ratiticatiou  or  rejection,  and  likewise  for  the  ratitieation 
or  rejection  of  any  iirovisions  thereof  to  he  hy  tlie  said  con- 
vention separately  suljniitted,  and 

"AMiei-eas,  it  has  heen  certitied  to  ni(\  as  rctiuired  hy  the 
said  act,  hy  the  .governor  of  the  territory  of  Oklahoma  and 
Ijy  the  jndye  senior  in  service  of  the  L'nited  States  court  i>t 
apiK'als  in  the  Indian  Territory  that  a  niajorit}-  oil  the  leyal 
votes  cast  at  an  election  duly  provided  for  hy  ordnance,  as 
required  hy  said  act.  have  l^een  cast  for  the  adoiitiou  of 
said  constitution,  and 

"Whert'as,  a  co}iy  of  the  said  constitution  has  l)een  cer- 
titied to  n:e,  as  retpiired  l)y  said  act,  together  vith  the  ai'ticles, 
IJropositions  and  ordinances  iiertaiuini;-  theret<i,  intdudiui;-  a 
separate  ]iro])ositio]i  for  state-wide  ])rohihition  which  has 
been  certiHed  t(»  lue  as  having  l)een  ado])tcil  l)y  a  niajoi-ity 
of  the  electors  at  the  election  aforesaid,  and 

"~\Micrcas.  it  ajipears  from  the  information  laid  hefore 
nie  that  the  convention  aforesaid  after  its  organization  and 
before  the  formation  of  the  said  constitution  duly  declared 
on  behalf  of  the  people  of  the  said  proposed  state  that  they 
adopted  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  and 

"AYhereas,  it  ap^tcars  that  the  said  constitution  and  gov- 
ernment of  the  ]n-oposed  state  of  Oklahoma  are  republican 
in  form  and  that  the  said  constitution  makes  no  distinction 
in  civil  or  |)olitical  lights  on  account  of  race  or  color,  and 
is  not  reijugnant  to  the  <-onstitution  of  the  United  States 
or  to  the  principles  of  the  declaration  nf  independence,  and 
that  it  contains  all  of  the  six  provisions  expressly  re(iuired 
by  section  :'.  of  tlu'  said  act  to  be  therein  contained;  and 

"AVheieas,  it  further  a|,i]iears  from  the  inf(U-mation  laid 
befoi-e  me  that  the  comH'ntion  above  mentioned  did  ])y  ovdi- 
narcc  irrevocable  accept  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the 
said  act.  as  reniiiird  by  section  22  thereof,  and  that  all  the 
))io\isiofs  of  the  said  act  approved  on  the  Kith  day  of  June, 
one  thou'^and  nine  hundred  and  six,  lun-e  been  duly  coiiqilied 
with. 

"Now.  therefore.  T.  The(Mlore  Roosevelt,  l.resideut  of  the 
United  States  (d'  America,  do.  in  accordance  with  the  ]ii'o- 
visio7is  (d'  the  said  act  of  Congi'css  of  Juiie  Id.  IWC,  dechuv 


•;  -;    Jin    I..   -'. 


.  i  ,^:    '!!'    r.i   >  {■'■   ,:  li'i"  fKiii 

;!  :..:;.  .iiuij  .'>i.i-i  1'^ 

.    iM   ■;:'■■  >■■<[  :•>']<[  lui.  lii 

luwi  ,Ii  1-1;. vi.!.'^'  •■/[■)  I')-/- 

.1   -hit   1,,  •■■..((r-.  ■■.„     ..:i]  vit  .!•./'.  hifiv. 

•    '■'    ..;,:.■   ■  =  .   ■:  ■,:^  :-.-!. i;(,  -xit  -.,1 
h     '•P.,ir:-.T   .,:;:..,;!     .1;  ui    ,!;■,•. |({,i 

,:      I  ■•-       I  ':      -     .       ^,i;     I'M  ...,  :.  >H;t 
■   ■'■■'-     •    '  ''  '••■■■'■'''     '!;.'..M''- 


lit  -M.    li 


,.      l-:;:    (; 


'i     ,t 


^^'] 


FKDKKAL   lUlLDIX 


RMERS- 


ill  t  ji^     m^'i...^: 


v^l 


\ii;\v  AT  sTAii-:  I  All;  park 


/  /  / 


THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIU.MA  CITY  299 

and  auiiutiiK-e  that  the  result  (if  the  said  (.'Icctiou,  wht'i-eiii 
the  constitution  formed  as  aforesaid  was  submitted  to  the 
people  of  the  proposed  states  of  Oklahuma  for  ratitleatidn  or 
rejection,  was  that  the  said  constitution  was  ratified  together 
witli  a  provision  for  state-wide  prohibition,  separately  sub- 
mitted at  the  said  election;  and  the  state  of  OklalKJuia  is  to 
be  deemed  admitted  Ijy  Congress  into  the  Union  under  and 
by  virtue  of  the  said  act  on  an  e<iual  footing  with  the  original 
states. 

"In  testimony  whereof  I  lune  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 
caused  the  seal  of  the  United  States  to  be  affixed.  Done  at 
the  city  of  AVashiugton  this  IGth  day  of  Xovemlx^r  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  seven,  and 
of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America  the  one 
hundred  and  thirty-seroud. 

" T H i-.onoii i:  R oosevelt. 
"By  the  iircsident:    Elihu  Koot,  secretary  of  state.'' 


A  feature  of  the  ceremonies  incident  to  the  inauguration 
of  the  first  state  officials  at  Guthrie  was  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  Oklahoma  to  ]\Iiss  Indian  I'eiritiuy.  C.  G.  Jones  of 
Oklahoma  City  was  selected  to  iiuiiei-sonate  the  lu'idegroom. 
The  proceedings  wcj-e  i-elated  in  a  stoi-y  in  a  Guthrie  ni'ws- 
paper : 

"The  'bridegroom,"  not  one  whit  abashed,  took  his  place 
in  the  center  of  the  platform  and  began  his  abljreviated  wooing 
with  a  knowing  nod  in  the  direction  of  the  spectators. 

"  *I  have  been  asked,"  he  said,  'to  iiorforni  tlie  agiTe;d)le 
duty  of  proposing  the  marriage  of  Oklahouia  to  tlie  Indian 
Territory.  Permit  nie  to  say  tliat  notliing  gixcs  uk^  greater 
pleasure,  as  tlie  T^resi<leut  ad\-ises  us  in  Ins  ju'oi-lamatiou  that 
the  marriage  will  be  strictly  legal,  without  regard  to  age, 
condition  or  prcAious  servitude.  The  bridegrooui  is  only 
eighteen  years  old,  but  is  cajiable  (d'  assunnng  all  the  mat- 
rimonial responsibilities  (d'  a  stalwart  youth.  Tliougli  he 
was  born  in  tr(tuble,  in  tribulation,  in  the  cit\'  of  AVashin^ton 
in  ISSS),  his  life  of  eigiiteen  years  on  the  ]dain-^  ha-<  lu'cu 
one  (d'  tremendous  activity,  and  he  has  growu  to  the  size  (d" 
a  giant.  lake  excry  well-regulated  masculine  indix'idual  he 
has  grown  tired  of  beinu  aloue.  though  he  was  fairly  ca]>able 


.iH'>   '!.'  v.:':n^  airr 


J':  M  1)1//    .110. :■»  ii'.   .  I,;-     11';    ;■.   j!;  -•.■,    ■,. 


111    •./.;?    lU 


I        v:-I,,-r.[  ■)i'f    /H' 


.    .I'lJ'V,^   A. 

:,.,   ..•,; 

l^■.   i--(ri   Mift   •;., 

:/    -, 

;il,j,  .•>•,.••;. r    •)li'r 

;  iJv[.;<] 
,r,,\i  •■    ,,,'r-' 

:  •  -..i! 

11  i '    1  M          Mil- 

1..  .  .;,f.v:-MfJui 

'     , ,  ■  ■  1   1  •  •  • 

-     j,|  r. 

1     M.,!'i 

■  "■!        ,  1^  jrci'vT 

■■■■■'\    ■ 

.1:      ,:    ■..K^.noiif 
•,   .-in,,):    -Kit 

:  ■  -  M|i.(i-ii'M!.'!'i  fj;iMii|f):  i 
'■''':  :  .:)  ,'.|'i|ii  i;  ni  i[-'"vl  '^i;'-7 
:    li'i'i  ,    Iw    ■I'lil    ;.iif    ,(l?<';r    111 

■  ■.   l!  ■/■    ■    I  I  '  ■  ■■,!). I      ,Illj;(v    :: 


300  TIIK  STOiJY  OK  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

of  taking  caio  <>i'  liiiiisi'lf.  Strange  to  say,  ou  account  (if  his 
youth  and  incxiicricnce,  hv  is  possessed  of  an  uneon(juerable 
modesty  and  he  has  asked  me  to  i)i'o}tose  niarriage  witli  the 
Indian  'JV'iritory. 

*'  'Out  of  sNinjiathy  for  the  younu'  l>aehehir,  I  now  ]»ropose 
to  the  Indian  'territory,  who  1  am  assured  is  matrimonially 
inelined,  that  the  proposal  he  acceitteih  and  that  the  uiuon  he 
consununated  here  and  now.  It  .should  he  un(UTstood.  how- 
ever, that  nothini;-  should  he  said  al)out  the  age  of  the  In'ide. 
It  is  a  case  A\heu  youth  and  age  are  to  he  blended  together  in 
harmonious  union,  and  that  under  the  constitution  and  laws 
a  divorce  can  never  Ije  granted.  This  is  not  exactly  a  case  of 
lo\e  at  first  sight.  A  lady  by  the  name  of  Sequoyah  at  one 
time  interfered  Avitli  the  courtshiiD  and  at  first  tried  to  In'eak 
u])  the  match.  But  having  failed  to  do  so,  and  tired  of  the 
loneliness  of  single  blessedness,  she  gracefully  surrendered 
to  the  inevitable  and  has  ever  since  been  in  favor  of  the 
marriage. 

"  'By  authority  vested  in  me  by  the  high  contracting  par- 
ties, and  in  obedience  to  their  request,  I  now  call  upon  Rev. 
W.  IT.  Dodson,  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Guthrie,  to 
perform  the  marriage  ceremony.' 

•'The  res])onse  for  the  blushing  bride  was  made  by  W.  A. 
Durant,  of  Durant,  Indian  Territory,  a  fullldood  Indian. 
His  formal  acceptance  was  as  follows: 

"  'To  you,  Mr.  Jones,  as  the  representative  of  ^Ir.  Okla- 
homa, I  ])resent  the  hand  and  the  fortune  of  ^liss  Indian  Ter- 
ritoi'v,  convinced  by  his  eighteen  years  of  persistent  wooing 
that  his  love  is  genuine,  his  suit  sinceie  and  his  purposes  most 
honoralile.  AVith  jiride  aiid  jdeasui-e  I  present  to  him  Miss 
Indian  Territory,  who  was  reared  as  a  politician  orphan,  tu- 
tored by  federal  office  holders  and  controlled  by  an  indifferent 
guardian  residing  a  thousand  miles  from  her  habitation. 

istances  of  her  youth,  which 
a  face  i)y  nature  intended  to 
)f  Tiod's  ])ure  sunshine,  this 
IS  the  last  desct^ndant  of  the 
it  on  American  soil ;  a  race 
eir  n(N-ks  to  the  lieel  of  the 
!  of  the  American  continent. 


"  'Desjjite  th( 

■  unha])]iy  <-ircui 

have  cast  a  shade 

'  (>{'  sorrow  over 

give  ba<-k  oidy  tl 

le  warm  smiles  < 

heauicons  maide 

11  conics  to  him  ; 

proudest  race  th 

at  WW  trod   fo( 

whose  sons  ha\-e 

nc\-er  bowed  til 

op])icssor:  the  oi 

I'iginal  occupant: 

./•htln  f)  I    ifUtJMll 
i-i'!"  I'i    ■■■'    1  I  -■:■     ill-.ci'  -iiiK.  /    .;|i  -r  >■!    /(!fi;  pnVr-  to  1)iO'  '* 


i  tl 


t>i;1    I;;  ■    •'<: 


ij:i    -iiii    u; 


^   .1  1,    ,r:'iil 

r:.::'^Jf 

..1"  •• 

','..^  'i.  •'/    ,■ 

,'.||.!',M.,(| 

.■;    ~    ',    V:|./ 

!  7<l  l./...t 

.    '     .: !  ;  ^  ■ ;  ■  -  ! 

,!);i(.-M;fP^ 

s!...  :Im;;;  ■>,!- 
r.r.;     un-mn.'J. 


TIIK  STOKV  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  301 '3/9  9- 

"  'AltliDiiyli  an  oriiluui,  Miss  Indian  Trri-itory  hiings  to 
lier  spunse  a  clower  tiiat.  in  fertile  iiekls,  pi-udueti\"e  mines 
and  sterling  and  upright  eitizensliip,  eqnals  the  foitnne  of  her 
wooer.  To  Olchihonia,  into  wimse'  identity  Indian  Territory 
is  about  to  be  nieryvd  forewr.  nuist  be  entrusted  the  eare  of 
this  princely  estate.  A\'e  resign  it  t<>  you  freely  in  the  eon- 
fident  hope  that  it  will  be  cared  for.  de\'el()}»ed  and  cduserved 
to  tlie  unending  glury  cd'  dur  new  state  and  the  untuld  benefit 
of  her  i)e(>ple. 

"  'Oklahoma,  your  wooing  has  been  long  and  persistent. 
For  eighteen  weary  years  you  have  sought  the  hand  of  our 
fair  maiden  in  wedlock.  If  the  object  cd'  your  suit  has  at 
times  seemed  indifferent,  belie\e  it  to  have  Ijeen  Init  evidence 
of  a  maiden's  pi-oper  modesty  and  not  a  shrinking  from  the 
imion. 

"  'In  winning  the  hand,  you  taki'  with  it  the  heart.  Your 
bride  comes  to  you  without  coercion  or  jnu-suasion,  as  the 
loving  maiden  confidently  places  her  hand  in  that  of  her  hus- 
band of  her  choice.  The  love  she  l)ears  for  you,  as  the  lo\e 
you  feel  for  her,  arises  from  kindred  interests,  mutual  asjd- 
rations  and  an  unl)ounded  adnuration,  one  for  the  other.' 

"Until  she  stepped  to  the  front  to  a^-cept  the  hand  of  her 
fiancee  the  identity  of  the  liride  was  known  to  l)nt  few.  She 
was  ]Mrs.  Leo  Bennett,  (d'  Muskogre,  a  bcwilderingly  han<lsonie 
matron,  whose  C'reek  lineage  is  evidenced  in  a  dark  com]:»lex- 
ion,  heightened  by  the  1)looni  of  i>erfect  health. 

"As  she  came  slowly  forward  to  the  front  of  the  idatform 
the  crowd  gallantl}"  shouted  an  acknowledgment.  With  a 
huge  cluysanllienuun  tlie  youuL!  woman  shaded  hei'  eyes  as 
she  looked  out  over  the  crowd.  Slie  smiled  and  Imwed  again 
and  again  as  the  applause  coiitimied. 

"Then  the  Rev.  ;Mr.  Dodson  <dfered  a  fervent  prayer  on 
the  union  and  the  formal  marriage  (d'  the  'twin  territories' 
Avas  consuimuated.''  .         ,,     -•■  •-•      •- 


^•.miii!  M7!-*-ji)>iMn.|    ,.;.[vii 

■J'Xi   JiJ  •.•!(. H-("l    '.111     ,l»,lij( 

'.^  ji!  ;  >''  itf.il   '  1  -/iiTii'! 

•IJ.r,    .(,.       .;]    vl'       :'j     '   ,,.'    , 


<U  .H.';  ]-. 


il"i     I   'i.l   >:;  i   till"*       ii'uy    ,/;iil(  u.rbH  >'  " 

,    I'i^i/k.    lilt  Vi      .■    .i/h'rn   iii   :V)',,\f.    ;    li':' 


:    ■'    ;■!■  7    I  i'  .■■■■[^[■•■,  oM-id 
:  ■     ,','h!.ci  ii'inii.ii'f  LnlvoT 

-■•- !  ;/;  ,•(•!](  •((.■>  f-o't  J/07 

]  .    /■  t;r!-)J)J  ■i<lj  •i',:)!(i;!t 

■.:     I'j  n'  '  '--  ;.■■/■  ,f!'.Tf!;MT 
•     •,•>    ...i  I.  >;!•.,,;.■!  rl  .,i..t 

,-  '.     >   ■.,1-.,-   --ri.-   ^/," 
■  •l"     7;t,;;;il;-     !,,'/<.■(•)    '.if! 


:<;  I,(t/: 


'111  f    f):l(>    If  MilU    'XH 
.ji',|f:illMl!--ilM-.  i-ur// 


1908— XEw  jerus.vlp:m  .unproved 

As  lias  been  iiitiniated  lieretofure,  many  people  of  the 
state  believed  that  the  matter  uf  the  location  of  a  permaucut 
state  capital  was  a  i^rerogative  of  the  peo^jle  rather  than  a 
prerogative  of  Congress,  yet  there  was  no  disposition  on  the 
l^art  of  a  majority  to  override  that  provision  of  the  Enabling 
Act  that  fixed  the  capital  at  Guthrie  for  a  term  of  years. 
But  in  the  interim  the  matter  was  alwa^ys  a  live  subject  of 
discussion.  On  February  11,  I.  M.  Putnam,  representative 
from  Oklahoma  County,  introduced  a  resolution  in  the  Leg- 
islature providing  that  the  capital  should  be  moved  to  Okla- 
homa Cit}".  Soon  thereafter.  Senator  Campbell  Russell  of 
Warner  introduced  a  resolution  asking  for  appointment  of 
a  conunittee  to  inquire  into  the  feasibility  of  locating  the  cap- 
ital as  near  as  possible  to  the  geographical  center  of  the  state. 
His  idea  contemplated  the  establishment  of  a  capital  on  a 
virgin  sj^ot  where  other  state  buildings  wc>uld  be  assemldcd. 
On  Februar}"  28  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  gave  a  banquet 
in  honor  of  the  Legislature,  which  came  doAvn  from  Guthrie 
in  a  body,  and  made  it  clear  to  the  members  that  in  due  time 
the  city  would  openly  demand  capital  honors. 

Senator  Russell's  idea  became  i)opular  in  Guthrie  and  met 
the  approval  of  many  residents  of  Oklahoma  City,  although 
President  Stone  of  the  Cham])er  of  Commerce  and  Mayor 
Scales  warned  the  pc(q)le  against  it.  It  met  the  open  and 
pronounced  approval  of  Govenior  Haskell  wlio,  no  doubt, 
at  the  time  had  in  mind  a  project  wherel)y  the  Ivussell  idea 
could  be  complied  with  and  Oklahoma  City's  desires  met 
by  the  same  act.  The  Xew  Jerusalem  idea  was  disposed  of 
in  the  Legislature  as  a  proposition  to  be  voted  upon  in  the 
autumn  election.  In  that  election  it  received  a  comfoi'table 
majority  of  the  A'otes  cast  but  there  was  a  doubt  riT  its  having 
received  the  constitutional  majority.  Suliseqnently  in  major 
acts  touching  the  subject  this  v<ite  was  ke]it  in  mind  and  in- 
terpreted as  the  voice  of  the  pcuple  and  tli(^  last  word  with 
reference  to  location. 

.303 


''      i-        ■         ■'     1     VUiJJ   I     ,>U^'\i>^':-i:ii\     f'.,'J.:i|iinii     IV     '     ' 

:■■  .  ,   J-    "/  !^->'\U;-jhl   ■>.;!  '1..  'i  ,MGin  Miit    r  ;(i; 
:••/    ;     .     :.:,..     .'(/..    .J    •;-,         .     _  ,.,;     ,;    ^t;v 

-   ,  .,      ,,      -.     ,4,    ,,;   ..,■  ,   ,,    ,  ;  ,    -,T.:i..  )  ■'.)  ovi ';;■:;,.■.•-■:.] 

■■■'.      ■.  ■    '  !  ■    ':    "'i  ■  ■  '!^-  -;i;  ■.,  ■  -'tj  [.•:;/«  ji>-;;  n'A 

.1      ."  ''    !--   -  -U'lh;  r.\:n  t   u   J'll  (i'i\[;)1iii   ■•'!!  id  ti,;?-i- 

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304  TIIK  STOUV   OF  (IKLAIIO.MA   CITY 

The  desires  of  the  (Jhainhei-  i>f  Cnuiiueree  t'urmukitetl  and 
expressed  during'  the  jn-evidus  year  tliat  tlie  eity  shouhl  have 
a  new  charter  were  realized  this  year  t<i  the  extent  of  a  char- 
ter beiny  written  by  a  hoard  of  freeholders,  of  which  AVarren 
K.  Snyder  was  president,  ^layor  Scales  was  outspokenly 
cii)posed  to  the  charter  and  refused  to  call  an  election  to 
sul)iuit  it  to  the  ii('o[)k'.  Charter  advocates  took  the  matter 
to  court  and  on  July  2'-]  the  Supreme  Court  held  that  there 
was  no  constitutional  inhibition  to  a  charter  of  this  nature 
sui)plantinu-  the  aldernianir  foi'm  <d'  government.  l)ut  it  did 
not  grant  the  request  of  the  charter  advocates  for  a  manda- 
mus directed  at  the  mayor.  The  latter,  therefore,  announced 
that  he  would  in  his  own  good  time  issue  an  election  call. 
The  date  hxed  eventually  was  August  29  and  after  the  call 
was  nunk'  charter  advocates  and  opponents  pitched  into  a 
lively  campaign,  the  result  of  which  was  that  the  charter  was 
(lefeattMl  by  a  little  ^A'er  two  hundred  votes.  Oiiixments  said 
it  would  Ikwc  given  the  city  a  monarchical  form  of  govern- 
ment. Public  utility  owners  declared  it  was  a  step  backwar(k 
Tlie  lca(li)ig  ad\-ocate  of  the  charter  on  the  stimip  was  John 
11.  A\'right,  one  of  its  authoi's.  John  Shartel  said  it  was  a 
freak.  Ilcnry  Ovcrholser  and  G.  B.  Stone  were  outsjiokeu 
against  it. 

Ladies  id'  the  Grant  Eelief  Corps  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  on  June  13  formally  presented  to  the  county 
a  new  flag  containing  forty-six  stais.  This  was  the  first  flag 
bearing  an  official  endorsement  or  received  by  public  officials 
that  had  added  the  star  that  represented  the  new  state  of 
Okkilioiiia.  A  i)resentation  speech  was  made  by  ^[rs.  ^lary 
J.  '\\'oo(l>  and  an  acceptance  speech  for  the  county  l)y  County 
Attcu'uey  II.  Jl.  "Reardon.  Other  features  of  the  ])i-ogram  were 
an  invocation  by  Dr.  II.  E.  Colby,  pastor  of  the  Keformed 
Church,  a  reading  by  ^Mrs.  Laura  Cordei'.  the  singing  of  th(^ 
Star  Spangled  L.aimer  l)y  ?klrs.  Abbic  Hunter  and  tlie  singing 
of  America  by  tlie  audience  (d'  about  two  hundre<l  that  wa^ 
assembled  oil  the  courthouse  ])ki7a.  The  ])artiei])ant>  in 
i-hief  wfvr  attended  by  a  fife  and  dium  corps  of  \eterans  of 
tlie  Ci\il  war. 

XcLiotiaticiiis  were  started  toward  the  end  of  the  year  for 
securing  the  establishment  heii'  of  two  large  itackin-  plants. 


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THE  SrOllY  OF  (3KLAII0-MA  CITY  307 

Secretary  MeKeand  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  liaving 
heard  that  representatives  of  Schwarzschikl  lV:  Sulzl)erLi,er  of 
Chicago  contemplated  a  visit  to  Fort  Worth  with  a  A'iew  of 
establishing-  a  pai-kery,  wired  them  an  invitation  to  stop  in 
Oklahoma  City.  The  invitation  was  accepted  and  they  ar- 
rived here  in  the  latter  part  of  Xo\-eniber.  They  were  enter- 
tained by  members  of  thr  CIuuuIxt  and  these  men  proposed 
that  the  city  would  raise  as  a  l^onns  $200,000  in  cash  if  the 
company  would  establish  a  plant  in  Oklahoma  City.  The 
visitors  indicated  that  the  proposition  would  he  acceptable. 
■'AVe  have  got  to  trade  Johnny  on  the  spot!"  shouted  Gr.  B. 
Stone.  Xo  set  of  business  men  ever  thought  faster  and  more 
seriously  noi'  acted  more  quickly  than  these.  It  was  a  momen- 
tous hour  in  the  city's  history.  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  raise  the  bonus.  It  consisted  of  A.  H.  Classen,  O.  D.  Hal- 
sell,  C.  F.  Colcord,  E.  K.  Gavlord,  "William  ]\[ee,  Samuel  Lew, 
Frank  P.  Johnson,  J.  E.  "o-Xeil.  E.  X.  :\ryers  and  W.  T. 
Corder.  Active  McKeand  permitted  no  idle  moments  to  pass. 
He  kept  business  moving,  typcwritrrs  (-licking  and  telegra]:)h 
wires  singing,  and  lie  announced  licfore  the  initial  apprecia- 
tion of  the  first  cnu])  had  Iteen  dulled  l>y  the  lalio]-  of  raising 
funds  that  Xelsdu  .AInrris  tt  (''onipany.  another  large  Chicago 
packing  firm,  was  looking  with  f;n-or  ujjon  Oklahoma  City. 

By  ordinance  of  the  council,  twenty-two  additions  to  the 
city,  having  a  total  po]iulatiou  of  about  3,000,  were  included 
within  the  city  limits.  These  were  :\rcKinley  lieights,  Put- 
nam Heights,  Uni\ersity  Heights,  Las  Vegas  Heights,  Pni- 
versity  Wow,  Aurora  Heights.  Alilitary  Park,  part  of  "Wei- 
nan's  Additi(Ui,  pai't  of  University  Park  Addition,  part  of 
Yomig  and  Engiewood  Additions,  Jefferson  Park,  Grand 
View,  l^leasant  A'i<'\v.  ])art  of  the  Afargaret  ^IcKinley  Subdi- 
vision, the  Culbertson  Second  Addition,  Bath  Highland.  Bath 
Orchar<l.  East  A'iew,  Edgmout,  Cuernsey  Park,  Fairlawu 
Cemetery  and  ^fcKinley  Place. 

A  ban(|Uet  at  th(^  Oraud  Avemie  Hotel,  exercises  at 
Wheeler  Park,  a  ]>ai'ade  and  a  ]u-()gram  of  speeches  consti- 
tuted the  program  of  tlie  Eighty-niners  Association  on  April 
22.  One  hundred  mem1»ers  of  tlie  association  wei'e  in  line  of 
march  and  12.')  attended  the  liauqiiet.  Addresses  at  the  park 
were  made  by  :\rayor  Scales  and  Di'.  J.  H.  O.  Smith,  pastor 


^J'.'-'r-j':       •-.'^■r.^•■•;.-■■    i     'to     ■(■■':.        >[..'.  ',''.'"  '" 

5'J    V   ;iv    i;    Xjrrr      [•  iill 

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30.S  THE  ST(VHY  OF  OlvI^AIlO.MA  LITV 


of  the  First  Christian  (Jlinrdi.  At  the  Imsiiicss  sessiun  O.  A. 
Mitsc'her  was  elected  president.  Jn  tlie  i»aradc,  L).  C.  Pryur 
rode  a  liorsc  that  belonged  at  that  time  to  II.  IT.  Sehultz  and 
was  rei)nted  to  he  the  first  horse  tliat  cmssed  tlie  line 
in  the  run  of  'SO.  I^ater  the  horse  was  in  the  service  of 
George  Tliornton.  tht'  city's  first  niai'shal.  The  inoeting  was 
attended  l)y  }ilrs.  Pri'sti>n  Sutton,  whose  maiden  name  was 
McKeane,  w!io  was  said  to  have  been  the  only  woman  in  a  :• 

sectiou  of  the  assenil)led  hosts  at  the  liorder  to  make  tlic  run  f 

on  horsebaelv  and  locate  and  hold  a  homestead.  She  became  a 
teacher  after  the  founding  of  the  city  and  taught  in  a  little 
building  on  Reno  Avenue.    During  the  festivities  of  the  cele-  ; 

bration  C.  H.  Mead,  a  member  of  the  association,  who  liad  |- 

for  some  time  l)een  ill,  died,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five.  He  was 
a  cigar  manufacturer. 

Thes(^  were  such  l)usy  commercial  days  that  the  city's 
builders  foi'got  in  a  measure  to  look  after  tiling-  touching 
civic  lirauty.  It  was  of  consequence,  therefore,  that  durinu  the 
year  a  civic  club  was  organized  by  an  enthusiastic  set  of  for- 
ward-.]ooking  and  intelligent  men  and  women.  Tlu'y  called  it 
the  Oklahoma  City  Civic  Improvement  Association  and  its 
chief  purpose  Avas  beautification  through  tlie  i»Ianting  of  trees, 
shrubbery,  and  tlowers  and  creation  and  extension  of  pul)lic  i 

pai'ks.    C.  A.  McXa1)b,  who  had  been  secretary  of  the  Tci  ri-  ? 

torial  Board  of  Agriculture,  was  elected  president.  Will  11. 
Clark,  who  ])roliat)l\'  was  the  most  accomplished  landscaiic 
artist  in  the  city  at  that  time,  vice  president,  R.  A.  Kh'in-  | 

Schmidt,  a  lawyer  and  nicinlie]-  of  tlie  city  council,  secretary.  ] 

and  O.  A.  .Mitscher.  treasurer.     Tliese  men  and  T.  F.  Mc-  1 

Mechan,  ]\lrs.  J.  Yi.  Taylor,  wife  of  the  city  superintendent  | 

(d'  schools,  and  A.  H.  Chissen  constituted  the  executive  com-  ] 

mittee.  j 

Sheriff  (leoi-e  AV.  Garrison,  while  seeking  to  arrest  Alf  ' 

Hunter,  a  negro  accused  (d'  murder  in  Oklahoma  County,  was 
shot  and  mortally  wounded  by  tli(^  negro  in  Illaine  ('ounty 
on  June  5.     Tlie  tragedv  ])roduce(l  a  ]n-(d"ouiid  sensation  in  \ 

the  city  and  the  state,  for  Slieriff  Garris(ni  was  one  of  the  liest  j 

known   law  <'nforcers  of  the   Soutliwcst.     Poises  nC  (.fhccrs  t 

from  se\cral  counties  (d'  the  western  paid  of  the  state  joined  ; 

in  search  for  the  ne^ro.     lie  eludt^d  them,  however.  l)ut  some  1 


Wit- 


luri'i   .   I   .».[   .  .■".■{:'  I     ■  ''  111 

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i7,;i'       ■      i,    :-<'      .■■::{•..[/. 

.  '•I'tlli! 

;  .   .7/     --.  ■  =  ;»  TiciMiir-: 

,  :    ■  -•■  ;  ..■.,■■,.(  i;  -i-t'ttiiir 

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■  .     -tii.nM.i  li.iy/'..   !!|m!'! 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  :309 

weeks  later  was  apprehended  in  the  eastern  part  ui'  the  state 
and  duly  tried  and  executed.  On  June  10th  the  county  com- 
missioners appointed  Harvey  (larrison,  sou  of  the  deceased 
officer,  to  the  office  of  sheriff. 

►Since  only  a  corjioration  cniimiissifjuer  and  two  meni))ers 
of  the  Sui)renie  (_'(Hirt  were  to  be  elected  this  year,  polities 
was  not  as  animated  as  in  the  previous  year,  although  it 
was  a  presidential  period.  AV.  L.  Alexander  had  the  honor 
of  participating  as  a  delegate  in  the  first  national  convention 
in  which  the  new  state  liad  first  and  full  representation.  ^Ir. 
Bryan,  the  democratic  nominee  for  president,  cariied  the 
state  by  about  15,000  majority,  and  Richard  ^lorgan  of  "Wood- 
ward defeated  Congressman  E.  L.  Fulton  for  reelection  in 
the  second  district.  Champ  Clark  stumped  sections  of  the 
state  for  democrats  and  Uncle  Joe  Cannon  sections  for  re- 
publicans. United  States  Senator  Beveridge  spoke  in  l)ehalf 
of  Mr.  Taft,  the  republican  nominee,  in  Oklahoma  City  and 
the  eastern  part  of  the  state.  Governor  Haskell  was  com- 
pelled to  resign  as  treasurer  of  the  Democratic  National  Cam- 
paign Committee  because  of  ehai-ges  made  against  him  l)y  W. 
R.  Hearst  and  liis  speech  in  Oklalnuna  City  after  the  resigna- 
tion was  characteristic  of  tlie  man  wlien  aroused  by  jiolitical 
and  personal  animosity.    It  was  an  event. 

In  the  election  of  Xovemlier  ;^  the  city  voted  ])onds  in  the 
.sum  of  $325,000,  of  which  ^j^^nO.OOO  was  to  ])e  used  in  construc- 
tion of  a  high  School. 

Othei-  events  of  the  year  included  the  resignation  of  T. 
G.  Chambers  as  city  attorney  and  the  api)ointment  of  W.  R. 
Taylor  as  his  successor;  the  purchase  by  W.  I>.  Skirvin  of  a 
lot  at  First  and  Broadway  as  a  site  for  the  Skirvin  Hotel, 
from  G.  W.  Turley,  for  $40.0(10.  tlie  lot  having  cost  Turley  in 
1889  only  $12;  the  approA'al  by  ( 'oiigressof  abill  appropriatini,' 
$200,000  for  a  Fedeival  building:  the  formal  o])ening  in  June 
of  the  Lakeside  Country  Clul).  of  wliich  J.  ^l.  Bass  was  presi- 
dent. Jose]»h  Hueldns.  Jr.,  vice  ]iresident,  E.  T.  HathaAvay, 
secretary,  and  G.  K.  AVilliams.  ticasnrer;  the  retirement  of 
Br.  David  R.  Boyd  as  ].resid,.iit  of  the  University  of  Okla- 
homa, tlie  election  of  Dr.  A.  Grant  Kvaus  of  Tulsa  as  liis 
suceevsor  and  tlie  ap]iointnieiit  of  Lee  Cni.-e,  AY.  R.  Rowsew 
Judge  Clifton  J.   Draft.  Dr.  X.  L.  Liuebaugh,   Dr.  J.  Afatt 


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310  THE  STOKY  UF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Gordon  and  J.  P.  Ilickani  as  a  board  of  regents;  the  award- 
ing of  paving  contracts  involving  the  exi)enditure  of  ^SOO,UUO,  ) 
wliich  woukl  increase  the  nnuiber  of  paved  miles  to  fifty-eight ; 
the  destruction  by  lire  of  the  Lee  Hotel  on  August  15,  the  loss  j 
being  $125,000,  and  the  breaking  of  dirt  on  December  12  for  5 
the  present  ten-story  Huckins  Hotel;  the  announcement  of 
the  Oklahoma  State  Fair  Association  of  an  increase  of  capital 
stock  froni  $100,000  to  s200,000,  of  its  intention  to  ask  the 
state  for  an  appropriation  of  $100,000  to  be  used  in  building 
construction,  and  of  the  fact  that  nearly  65.000  paid  admis-  ; 
sions  to  the  second  fair  had  been  received  and  that  the  asso-                    I' 
ciatiou  had  netted  $14,000  out  of  the  exposition ;  and  reports                    i 
that  bank  clearings  for  the  year,  totaling  nearly  $50,000,000, 
had  exceeded  those  of  the  prcAious  year  l)y  over  $20,000,000. 
and  that  building  permits  had  totaled  $2,700,000  which  was 
more  than  double  the  total  of  the  previous  year. 

Of  the  career  of  George  B.  Stone  a  writer  of  this  period 
says : 

"George  B.  Stone,  to  refer  ))riefly  to  the  principal  event  in 
his  own  career,  was  born  at  Mattoou,  111.,  February  23,  1S65. 
His  i>arents  were  l)oth  l)orn  in  Belmont  County.  Ohio.  In  1849  : 

his  father  went  around  the  Horn  to  California,  and  in  that  i 

state  followed  the  ti-ade  of  millwright  as  well  as  miner,  and 
was  one  of  the  few  who  returned  with  some  considerable  addi- 
tion to  their  material  prosperity.  Subsequently  he  was  a 
contractor  and  Ijuilder  in  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Kansas,  also  en- 
gaged in  the  live  stock  business,  and  during  1875-76  was  at 
Cheyenne.  AVyo.,  engaged  in  selling  horses  and  mules  to  the 
Government  for  use  in  the  Black  Hills  country.  On  acco\mt 
of  ill  health  he  removed  to  Old  ^Mexico,  and  in  the  winter  of 
1878  estal)lished  his  home  in  West  Texas.  1 

"It  was  at  this  time  that  tlie  active  career  of  George  B.  | 

Stone  l)egan.    Fi-oui  187S  until  18S2  he  rode  the  range,  a  veri-  i 

table  cowlioy,  aud  was  in  the  euii»loy  of  one  of  the  large  cattle 
outfits  ol)(M■atiu^■  o\-er  the  AVest  Texas  country.  He  was  not 
only  fearless  and  industrious,  as  most  cowboys  of  the  time 
were,  'l)ut  Avns  also  relialile  in  a  Imsiness  way.  and  cousc^- 
cpiently  in  1882  his  em])loyers  ]>ut  him  in  charge  of  their  rnuch 
outfit,  lianis  and  trans]ioi1ation  facilities  at  Coloi'ado  City. 
Texas.    From  tliere  he  reuioviMl  in  1884  to  Fort  AVortli,  Texas,  . 


1    \  '.     ■'        I'.-.'.'I    '..  !;■'.  -y  -rlA..y:v  ■■.!?  f.,;j;  .00' 

J. ;',.;..!    >.,.     ....  '^  :  "io      •. if', ;■•■'-/    ■■■:''   ■■•:;I^  i;i(i".:,'l>it'»  oilj 

l.i.i:        ii.i      •'('         >    •.!•!. iV'I    ;J;.    ■    t;  c/l      ••        I  J    '>tj;    .11   •''    .-Illt-.lfO'.i 

-.   ■      ■        .   :      ■        '    :,  ^•:    <..::■'.'    '  -■-.cjr     ,.1,   .^;  Hi.'U 

:   ;  :-,..'  ■  I-  1.     rf.  •     >'  ' .,       -     '    ,t.....    t  ,,,'   (im;;!;-!., 

■■:...  .  --  -  :::.!::. I  -.w  [mh 


i;"I     Mitv/ 


THE  STUKY  UF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  311-  5/2. 

and  started  to  feed  cattle  fur  the  market.  lie  suffered  from 
a  disastrous  fire  and  iu  1885  removed  to  El  Paso,  and  for  a- 
time  was  a  salesman  for  the  tirm  of  L.  B.  Frudenthal  it  Com- 
pany, wholesale  dry  ^dods  and  grdceries.  In  1887  ^ir.  Stone 
removed  to  "W'ulf  City.  Texas,  and  there  first  became  actively 
identitied  with  the  real  estate  business.  He  constructed  the 
first  brick  building  in  Vs'oll  City,  rented  the  lower  floor  for 
a  bank,  retaining-  his  oAvn  office  in  the  same  building.  In 
1889  he  removed  his  business  headquarters  to  Xew  Birming- 
ham, Texas,  and  there  had  charge  of  the  real  estate  depart- 
ment for  the  Xew  Birmingham  Iron  &  Laud  Comjjany.  In 
the  spring  of  1890  Mr.  Stone  identitied  himself  with  AViehita 
Falls,  Texas.  He  was  in  that  city  during  its  greatest  period 
of  development,  when  it  became  a  railroad  and  business  center, 
was  in  the  real  estate  business  and  made  himself  in  many 
ways  an  active  factor  in  the  npbuilding  of  the  city.  In  1897 
Mr.  Stone  served  as  delegate  from  Texas  to  the  Trans-Mis- 
sissippi Congress  at  Salt  Lake  City.  There  he  was  instru- 
mental in  having  the  congress  advocate  a  new  measure  in 
which  he  saw  great  ju'ospective  lienetit  and  which  j^rovided 
that  the  state  uf  Texas  slmuld  sn  amend  its  constitution  as 
to  permit  bonds  to  l)e  issued  against  land  in  arid  sections  for  j 

irrigation  purposes. 

"Before  coming  to  Oklahoma  ^Ir.  Stone  had  actively  as- 
sisted in  the  expansion  of  its  original  t('rritory  for  settlement. 
In  Fe))ruary,  1899,  he  went  to  Washington,  I).  C.,  to  advocate  ■ 

the  oi)ening  of  the  Kiowa  and  Comanche  country  on  the 
theoi-y  that  it  was  a  natural  stock  raising  district  and  that 
l)y  the  use  of  silos  could  l)e  made  one  of  the  most  useful  regions 
for  the  ])rodui-tioii  of  live  stock  in  the  Fnited  States.  It  was 
in  1900  that  Mr.  Stone  ivnioved  to  Oklali<.nia  City,  wliei'c  he 
has  since  been  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance 
business. 

"Since  its  organization  in  1907  he  has  lieen  a  <lirector  of 
the  Oklahoma  State  Fair  .Association  and  has  lieen  A'ice  in-esi- 
dent  since  191^.  H*'  is  a  director  of  the  Aniorican  Xatioual 
Bank  of  Oklahoma  Citv:  a  nieuil)er  (d'  the  Oklahoma  City 
:\ren"s  Dinner  Club,  and  a  nieuibei'  of  the  First  Pivsliyterian 
Church." 


.  iJ  .;, 
|,..t- 


>!Ui 


'f    ,(I        .'  ■:•'  '-u   1-    !.,!;;  >)■  ...^     ;..:,  ■, 

'    ^-!ft   v-.-n      j>,|i;   .:  .sV-'!'  .  /Jj.)  -if.. 


'/.)•;  '»;^  't. 


.ti:'';.j 


:|.0. 


it  '0 


uv   ',   r.vt  -"• ,h 


.  Il't-Zi 


19U9— COMlXd  OF  THE  PAC'KKRS 

A  mule  diaiiiatic  lidur  never  was  experieiu-ed  in  the  city's 
history  than  one  of  a  May  day  in  1909  when  representative 
business  men  in  a  mass  meeting,  pereeiving  an  industrial  o})- 
pdrtiuiity  the  ini}inrtanee  of  which  seldom  comes  to  a  com- 
nuuiity  and  never  to  but  few  eomnumitics,  signed  pledges  for 
nearly  $500,000  to  secure  a  packing  jjlant  costing  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  $3,000,000.  Secretary  McKeaud's  2-cout  stamp 
and  a  little  message  of  invitation  were  getting  results. 

A  representative  of  Xelson  Morris  &  Company,  a  C"hicag(j 
packing  firm,  being  impressed  with  the  ad\'antagcous  location 
of  the  city  and  its  railroad  facilities,  told  these  Inisiness  men 
that  his  comi^any  would  erect  a  packery  here  if  it  was  given 
a  cash  bonus  of  $300,000  and  some  minor  concessitms.  A 
handful  of  boosters  listened  intently.  Almost  witli  one  accord 
they  said,  "AVe'll  do  it."  A  mass  meeting  was  the  initial 
consequence.  When  the  opportunity  Avas  offered  for  sulj- 
scriptions,  Anton  H.  Classen,  the  town  booster  from  away 
back,  asked  to  be  registered  as  giving  $10,000.  Oscar  G.  Lee, 
the  hotel  builder,  said  he'd  take  $10,000.  So  did  C.  F.  Col- 
cord  and  C.  Ct.  Jones.  A  little  man  with  a  modidated  voice, 
as  animated  and  as  eager  as  the  i-est,  said,  "Centlemen,  T  am 
not  a  rich  man,  but  I  know  what  this  means  h>  all  of  us  and 
I  want  to  make  my  subscrii)tion  $2.").()(I0!"  It  was  Sidney 
L.  Bi'ock,  the  department  store  owner  and  jirt'sident  of  the 
Chamber  of  Conniien-e.  "Three  cheers  for  T>rockI""  some 
one  shouted,  and  he  got  it,  unanimously,  whole-heartedly.  The 
tension  tightened  as  animation  increased,  the  tension  of  grit, 
of  perseverance,  of  heroic  determination.  A  stock  exchange 
with  a  disturl)ed  market  had  ])een  transplanted  here.  A  ledge 
of  gold  of  fabulous  ]iossil»ilities  had  licen  touched  by  a  ])ros- 
]iector's  ])ick.  An  oil  guslier  driUed  into  a  ]iool  of  jiotential 
millions  had  been  luicajipeil  and  allowed  to  flow. 

Like  a  gambler  who  stakes  his  all  on  the  last  <lraw,  Antou 
3l:l 


;)''i>r)/  4    ijiT  ■■[ 


li   li      ^.Hl  /■       SI'l   ,_ 


ij.rd  (»;  ••,'p-,  ■>:!  !i!-i,  /  t!;iij!ii 


U_..[ 


:  ,M;);^/     iM     .-,..•!     iUm;-    I'. 
M     nil      :l'    ;7'-     ^^^,■,      ,j,-A\ 

•i  I'  i;  '■■        n.-iii'iri  !.'•> 

-^    .::    .-OK/     ,vi..rK(n-.^ 

a.i. 1  ,1  !:    ;;-;:. M'H.J 

'    iw:;.-    Mti.ii-jii    I-.iMfi   •,(!) 
.-r;.ii.   ^,1    .'»    f;u.;   (,i-r. 

^  !  iiKi  .iiMH  .In-i  >,  t.Hi 
-  -HI'  ',  t,..;;  1.1  lili-7/  { 
.'Ml--.':  ''  r:r  .,!.„,-(;i  ^1 
'.■r„,,:.,  ,  ,  ■;,>  ■I'.KlMin.i') 
i  ;m,    .     ;:  ir;,ir:'i;w'(.  .,130 

i;!  liUJ   Inif -li  i-;l[»  n  iWl  /I 
Mil/'    •,    >|,;,,f,;-.    i;   '...iii 


314  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIlU.MA  CITY  .^ 

Classen,  brimful  aud  radiant  of  enthusiasm,  shouted:  ''Raise 
my  subscription  to  >f<40,000!""  Adventurers  followed  suit  and 
in  very  little  more  time  than  is  required  to  tell  the  story  the 
chief  backers  of  prosperity  subscribed  over  $40U,UU0.  Then 
it  was  announced  that  ^Ir.  Brock  and  G.  B.  fStoue  had  secured 
an  oi)tiou  on  57-3  acres  of  land  for  a  consideration  of  $180,000 
and  that  they  had  put  up  -$25,000  to  bind  the  deal.  AVhere- 
ui^on  a  tem})orary  organization  of  an  industrial  district  com- 
l^any  was  jjerfected  with  a  view  of  selling  lots  out  of  the  -: 

proceeds  of  which  to  raise  the  boiuis  of  $300,000  as  a  reim- 
bursement of  their  own  outlay.    The  temporary  directors  were 

A.  H.  Classen,  Oscar  G.  Lee,"sidney  L.  Brock,"  C.  B.  Ames,  G. 

B.  Stone,  Sevmour  HcAinan,  J.  F.  Harbonr,  C.  F.  Coleord, 

C.  H.  Euth,  6.  P.  AVorkman  and  J.  M.  Owen. 

The  temper  of  this  gathering-  spread  quickly  throughout 
the  city.  It  radiated  in  every  business  honse,  office  and  shop. 
Within  twenty-fdur  hours  the  gas  aud  electric  company  an- 
nounced that  it  would  double  the  capacity  of  its  plant  by 
an  expenditure  of  over  $000,000.  The  telei>houe  company  an- 
nounced that  its  capacity  would  be  increased  with  an  outlay 
of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.    John  Shartel  reported  .  ■. 

that  Henry  ]\I.  Daugliei'ty  of  Ohio  was  due  to  arrive  in  the 
city  to  go  over  plans  with  the  officials  of  the  street  railway  ] 

company  for  constructing  interurbau  lines.    These  were  real  | 

oracles  of  prosperity  and  what  the  oracles  prophesied  came  I 

true.  I 

Mr.  Daugherty  arrived  in  due  time  and  in  due  time  inter- 
urban  construction  began.  Tn  view  of  the  fact  that  eleven 
years  later  this  Ohio  lawyer-financier  l)ccame  attorney  gen- 
eral in  the  cal)inet  of  President  W.  H.  Harding,  it  is  not 
unpardonabh — on  the  contrary,  it  is  pertinent — to  quote  a 
brief  expressi<in  he  made:  "Personally.  1  think  this  is  the 
greatest  town  in  the  United  States.  T  haven't  the  slightest 
doul)t  about  its  growth  and  its  staliility.  It  is  a  city  of  en- 
tei']")rising  men  who  exei'cise  liusiness  judgment."" 

When,  a  few  days  later,  an  industrial  com])any  was  formed.  ^ 

:\[r.  P.ro.-k  was  ele<-ted  ]iresidcnt.  Mr.  Stone,  vice  i)resident. 
:\ri'.  :\[cKeaiid,  secretary,  and  Mr.  J<.nes.  W.  T.  Hales.  Pd-  •? 

ward  H.  ('oolce  Twho  had  telcgra]ilieil  his  subscrijition  from 
Enid  on  mass  meetiiiL;'  dav).  Mr.  Classen,  ^Fr.  Lee.  Mr.  Anies, 


:)    {'.{■^.■■■:    iUV 


)■  ,1  !'■'..  l|! 


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iT     .'.'       '»i:)>    :'   /.     'v,('i-ii>:Jf(;^   7lr!  .■(<,a^;  1  I   'I'.l.j^i  ■!>»;]•:. 
(J'-i  1'  'I, I'M'      vi     ;';...;,  ;!iMi;!  .•:  J/  ^;  iil  li'*<  ll'Htn;;  Jsfjv/ li 

',<.'^J'-    '..M'.l-:       l;:      ■..■     ;;      ,.'tl.r<:.l    !       -■)!•)],  T.  To  iRi  i  !■  .j  I(|r )(( li 


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ENTRAXCE  TO  THK  OKLAHOMA  XATIOXAT.  STOC  KVARDS 


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PENS   AT   Tin:    (iKl.AiliiMA    XAIluXAl.    STlKKVAl 


i>.  .^/\u- 


THE  STOKY  OK  OlvLAIIO.MA  CITY  317 

Mr.  Cok-ortl  and  :\[r.  Heyinan,  diifcturs.  Ou  the  litli  of  the 
foUowiug-  JiuiL'  a  irpreseutativc  of  the  ychwarzschild  iSc  Sulz- 
berger Packing  Conii)aiiy  of  Chicago  eanie  to  town,  and  with 
him  negotiations  were  started  that  resulted  some  time  later 
in  his  company  concluding  to  match  the  -Morris  enterprise  in 
what  was  soon  to  ])ceouie  Packingtown.  Activities  relative  to 
packeries  during  the  next  few  months  touched  the  platting 
of  lots,  securing  rights  of  way  for  railroad  trackage  and 
loops,  and  the  actual  construction  (.if  the  Morris  plant. 

This  was  a  year  of  uniiaralleled  coimuercial  and  industrial 
progress  on  the  one  hand  and  of  official  scandal,  lax  law  en-    ^'.' 
forcemcnt,  grand  jury  investigations  and  petit  jury  trials    ' 
and  removals  from  oftice  ou  the  other  hand.     It  was  a  con- 
glomerate   year,    hut    one    in    which    individual    and    public 
progress  outstripped  sordiduess,  misanthropy  and  corruption 
and  in  which  public  decency  and  civic  ideals  ascended  to  a 
measure  of  triuni})]!.     It  opened  with  the  boost  spirit  and 
atmospheric  element.     Jobl»ers  said  that  in  twelve  mouths 
their  business  had  increased  from  $18,500,000  to  $20,000,000. 
Bank  deposits  increased  over  $2,000,000  in  less  than  two 
months.    Prosperity  seemed  to  be  growing  on  the  trees,  pop- 
ping out  of  the  bushes  and  forming  like  dew  upon  the  grass.     '' 
And  while  this  spirit  was  prevalent  the  board  of  park  com-    ' ' 
missioners,  W.  F.  A'ahlberg,  "William  H.  Clark  and  Kay  W. 
Dawson,  took  advantage  of  it  and  proposed  a  bond  issue  of 
$400,000  for  ]inrk  purchases  and  improvements,  and  their  will 
prevailed  in  the  Ajiril  election.    Out  of  the  proceeds  they  se-    "  j 

cured  the  site  for,  laid  out  and  graded  and  bridged  a  twenty-     '  i 

seven  mile  six-edway  completely  encircling  the  city,  Icuown  j 

soon  as  Orand  rxiulewird.  ami  purchased  and  l)egan  iiupro\-e-     '  ' 

ments  on  a  tract  of  a1)out  se\en  hundred  acres  which  the  resi-  , 

dents  knew  for  s(Hne  years  as  Xortheast  Lake  l)ut  which  was    '  ^ 

appropriately  and  ]iatriotically  christened  Lincoln  Park.    It  | 

was  an  enter|)rise  of  magnificent  i>ossiI)ilities  and  more  scien-  | 

tific  improvement  of  it  was  under  way  in  1921.     But  always  | 

prosperity  and  a  spiritualized  civi<>  sense  could  not  continue  f 

unintei'i'U])tedly  and.  for  the  lack  of  funds,  the  lack  of  ]ier-  % 

ception  of  a  iiecessitx',  aiid  liecause  of  ]iublic  and  financial  j- 

vicissitudes  (if  the  future,  iuchidinu'  war.  the  buideN'ard  in 
the  rough  was  in  large  iiieasurt'  neglected.     Its  iiossibilities  ? 


.:  'i     .117/  'f  n?  •)H!i:-..  n-^wA'.V  >  "J>.    ;_;, 


■i. '-  .!>:  i      .!];  li'  •>  :>\A: 


',-    -t. 


ill    <  -.,   j..\ 


:.    •-    -,ih     i[; 

ii.7  ;v«/. 

'    .'i    .    "^    .-. 

■•itwi-'virn 

■    ':     /''n? 

.';.  -Y/jia 

i    .1  :  (,  1  'i.i'i 

i  '      I     1    1  1    1'    1 

>  ''i;  K(:i»: 

.•^'.-  •'.  ■.  ■]    ■■'■>] 

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■.    ;,)■;   -.■■^•iA 

■;M"-!<I'(1'' 

,.       .>.    ;,,    .     ll'f 

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i[iii;  ■.Hit 

■■■  1     >;r    i;    "i.. 

1,1,     'tr     >Ml. 

jiu.-!    Mil' 

318  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY 

remain,  and  some  <jf  this  generation  may  witness  realization 
of  the  hopes  of  its  promoters,  that  it  be  famed  as  the  ideal 
motor  race  course  of  the  country. 

On  ilarch  2-3  the  Oklahoma  City  Civic  Improvement  Asso- 
ciation held  its  ammal  meeting.  The  attendance  of  twenty- 
five  members  was  recorded,  wliirh  was  a  recui'd  in  numbers 
for  those  days  of  engrossing  business  thought.  Tlie  associa- 
tion resohed  to  buy  3,000  packets  of  seeds  to  be  given  to  the 
Federation  of  AVomen's  Clubs  for  distribution,  and  it  dis- 
cussed practical  ways  of  park  extension  and  beautificatiou. 
C.  A.  ]\IcXal)b  was  elected  president,  Curtis  Bronson,  J.  H. 
Bell,  A.  B.  8nell,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Harper,  John  H.  :\[yers 
and  J.  A.  Bi-aniff,  vice  presidents,  and  ^Irs.  J.  B.  Taylor,  sec- 
retary. 

The  getting  accustomed  to  i)rohibition  was  entered  upon 
half-heartedly  by  anti-prohil)iti(»nists  and  local-optionists. 
The  thought  was  repugnant  to  radicals  among  those  elements 
whose  intlueuce  openly  flouted  law  enforcement.  Radicals 
interiucteil  the  l»elief  of  those  elements  as  public  sentiment 
and  bf.otlegucrs  e]e\ated  it  above  the  statutes.  Bootlegging 
l)ecame  open  and  notorious,  so  much  so  that  suspicion  attached 
to  Ixitli  county  and  city  officials.  It  reached  such  notorious 
stages  that  Co\-erno]'  Haskell,  after  an  investigation,  con- 
cluded tliat  oi'ficials  oF  the  Federal  Government  vrere  c<:>usi>ir- 
ing  to  defeat  tlw  will  of  the  majority  in  the  new  state.  In  a 
lengthy  couiunuiicarion  to  President  Taft  he  ]")rayed  that  the 
rio\-ernnieut  nia!<e  a  ])robo.  Distrust  and  dissatisfaction  per- 
meati'(l  tlie  city  adiuiuistratiou  and  an  extended  and  acrimo- 
nious cotiti'o\i'i-sy  between  Alaxiir  Scales  and  Chief  of  T*olice 
Hul)atlca  e\-entua!ly  terminated  in  the  mayor  disdiargiug  the 
chief.  Hubatka,  howe\-er.  decdined  to  remove  his  star  and 
the  battle  waged  again  with  moi'e  vigor  than  before.  The 
discordant  atmosphere  of  the  city  hall  at  length  caused  Dis- 
trict Judge  George  AY.  Clark  to  sunnnon  a  grand  jury. 

Suspicion  also  attacheil  to  the  county  c(.urtliouse.  where 
bootleggers  were  said  to  have  exercised  an  influence  ]>ro- 
dnctive  of  laxity.  It  should  b(^  noted  that  law  and  order 
leagnies  and  other  associations  i^f  law-abiding  residents  had 
l)een  formed  dui'ing  tlie  reign  of  lawl(\ssuess  and  that  their 
influence  was  gra<luall\-  enliLihteninu'  the  law-bi-eakers.   These 


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TUE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  319 

organizations  quietly  went  to  the  govenmr  and  tlieir  visit  in- 
spired the  governor  h)  instruct  Attorney  Cieueral  Charles 
West  to  institute  an  inquiry.  (Jounty  Attorney  E.  E.  IJeardou 
offered  assistance  of  his  otliee  to  the  attorney  general  but 
concluded  to  withdraw  it  after  Mayor  Scales  liad  protested 
that  the  state  ofHcials  should  ha\e  a  free  hand.  A\'est  con- 
vened a  grand  jury  and  it  returned  indictments  against  the 
chief  of  police  and  some  other  officials.  The  attorney  general 
then  said  he  purposed  continuing  sessions  of  the  inquisitorial 
body  to  investigate  the  cause  of  the  failure  of  the  Columbia 
Baidv  &  Trust  Company  of  Oklahoma  City.  Tins  was  the  lirst 
state  banli:  failure  after  the  adoption  of  the  bank-guaranty 
law.  Believing  that  the  law  was  under  tire  of  its  enemies  and 
that  the  financial  situation  was  somewhat  acute,  Governor 
Haskell  asked  INlr.  West  to  forego  an  investigation. 

Enforcement  advocates,  however,  were  not  satisfied  with 
resiilts  and  they  petitioned  the  assembling  of  another  grand 
jury.  This  was  done  on  ai)proval  of  state  officials  and  Crov- 
ernor  Haskell  assigned  John  M.  Plays,  counsellor  for  the  state 
enforcement  department,  to  direct  the  probe.  This  roused 
the  wrath  of  Mayor  Scales  and  some  rather  intemperate  com- 
munications were  exclumged  by  the  two  executives.  In  the 
meantime  District  Judge  Stilwell  H.  Eussell  of  Ardmore,  who 
had  been  assigned  to  the  local  l»cnch  for  special  cases,  quashed 
indictments  against  Hubatka  and  other  officials.  The  first 
grand  jury  had  recouuncnded  the  sus]K'nsiuu  of  Sheriff  Har- 
vey Gari'ison  on  the  cliarge  of  l)ribi'ry.  and  Judge  Clarke,  who 
issued  the  suspension  order,  aiqiointed  Sanniel  ( "alhoun  sheriff" 
for  the  term  of  the  suspension,  ('alhoun  resigned  after  a 
few  Weeks  and  was  succeeded  by  I'.  S.  (irant,  a  hotel  keeper. 
Grant  held  the  office  but  a  short  time  and  was  succeeded  l)y 
M.  C.  Binion.  wlw.  served  until  -May  i:"!.  lOlO.  wlien  Judge 
Russell  vacated  the  susp(>nsion  order  and  restored  Garrison 
to  the  office,  the  latter  haAdng  offered  convincing  proof  that 
his  indictment  was  ))rouii]it  about  by  perjured  testimony. 

During  the  year  an  ori;,anizatiou  known  as  the  Sons  of 
Washington  was  foi'uied  in  the  state.  AVhile  it  advocated 
strict  law  enforcement,  it  o]i])osed  the  ]n'inci])le  of  ]u'ohibition. 
Its  influence  l)ecanie  an  important  fai-toj-  in  jMilitical  affairs, 
bringing  al)out  an  initiated  measure  providing  for  repeal  of 


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^-l^*  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  (  ITV 

the  proliibitioii  law  and  the  aniiouiiefinent  the  next  year  of  a 
candidate  foi-  -( .vernur  who  advocated  local  oi)ti( )n.  The  meas- 
ure was  defeated  in  the  Xoveniljer  election  of  next  year  ))\-  a 
majority  of  nvcr  twenty  thousand  and  the  candidate  sulfereil 
defeat  in  the  i-riuiary  (pf  the  Au-nst  jireeedin- 

.Mayor  Scales  was  reeleeted  in  the  Aprd  ek'etioii.  defeat- 
ing Georye  Uodson.  the  i-epuldiean  nominee,  and  John  Hu- 
batka  was  j'eelected  chief  of  police.  James  S.  Twyford,  le- 
pu))lican  nonun.  e  f-.r  city  attorney,  and  Kohert  Paiman, 
republican  nonunee  for  city  clerk,  were  elected,  as  Avere  J.  T. 
Highley,  democratic  nominee  for  ].(dicc  judge,  and  E.  C.  True- 
blood,  democratic  ncrinnee  for  city  treasurer.  In  an  autmnn 
election  bonds  aggregating  .■>1S5,0U0  for  sewer  extensions  Aveie 
voted  and  other  propositions  relating  to  a  city  hall  site  and 
the  consti-uction  of  a  citv  hall  were  defeated. 

Senator  Campbell  Russell's  resoluti(m  providing  for  the 
appointment  of  a  joint  connnission  of  fourteen  members  of 
the  Senate  and  House  to  prepare  a  bill  touching  the  sul)ject 
of  the  caijital  location  was  adopted  by  the  Senate  Janiiary'  11. 
In  substance  the  measure  contemplated  carrying  out  the  Ni'w 
Jerusalem  i)lan  which  had  been  approved  in  the  election  of 
1908.  The  Oklahoma  City  capital  organization  had  been  kept 
intact  and  it  eni]doyed  Prof.  Henry  Meier  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity to  determine  what  was  the  exact  geographical  center 
of  the  state.  On  Jaimary  22.  Professor  ileier  reported  that 
he  had  found  the  center  to  be  two  and  a  quarter  miles  east 
and  one  and  a  quarter  miles  north  of  the  town  of  Britton. 
and  in  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  23-12n-3e. 

In  February  Senator  Russell  himself  prepared  the  sort 
of  a  bill  he  w.add  have  had  prepared  l)y  a  commission.  It 
provided  for  the  ajq. ointment  of  a  commission  of  five  to 
make  selecti.ins  and  secure  options  on  not  less  than  sixteen 
n<.r  more  than  thirty-six  sections  of  laud  not  moj'c  than  fifty 
nules  from  the  center  of  the  state  to  be  used  for  capital  i)ur- 
poses.  It  pi',.vi,h'd  for  the  issuance  <d'  bonds  for  buildin- 
purposes  that  were  to  be  retired  out  (d'  the  proceeds  of  land 
sales,  and  that  the  couuuission  should  make  its  report  bv  July 
1,  1909,  and  the  governor  was  directed  to  call  an  election  for 
a  date  not  later  than  AuL;ii>t  1.  1909.  This  bill  was  passed  b\- 
the  Senate  on  March  2. 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  321 

The  local  capital  orgauizatiou  proceeded  to  the  preparatiou 
of  a  bill  of  its  own.  H.  A.  Johusou  was  chairniau  of  the 
drafting  committee.  The  measure  was  completed  by  May  1 
and  petitions  asking  for  an  election  were  put  in  circulation. 
It  contained  some  of  the  features  of  the  Kussell  bill  but  it 
provided  that  the  capital  lands  should  be  within  live  miles  of 
an  establislied  town  and  for  the  securing  (,>f  options  on  not  to 
exceed  2,000  acres  of  land,  out  of  the  sale  of  part  of  which 
funds  were  to  be  derived  to  reimburse  the  state  for  an  initial 
capitol-building  appropriation.  It  pr(^)posed  to  amend  the 
constitution  to  remove  the  inhiljition  created  hy  the  Enabling 
Act  against  removal  of  the  capital  before  1913,  and  provided 
for  the  creation  of  a  capital  commission  of  three  members 
Petitions  were  filed  with  the  secretary  of  state  on  July  28.  A 
Guthrie  cajjital  organization  sought  to  restrain  the  secretary 
of  state  from  calling  an  election  under  the  initiative  law,  and 
on  August  14,  W.  A.  Ledbetter,  representing  the  local  or- 
ganization, applied  to  the  Supreme  Court  for  an  order  pro- 
hibiting District  Judge  A.  H.  Huston  of  Guthrie  from 
interfering  with  the  secretary  of  state.  Leo  ]Meyer,  acting 
secretary  of  state,  asked  that  a  hearing  be  held  as  to  the 
legality  and  sufficiency  of  the  petition. 

And  while  these  events  were  transpiring,  I.  M.  Putnam, 
an  Oklahoma  City  real  estate  dealer,  who  as  a  member  of  the 
first  state  Legislature,  had  introduced  a  capital-removal  meas- 
ure, believing  that  eventually  the  capital  would  be  located  on 
a  virgin  spot  near  an  established  town,  began  acquiring  lands 
northwest  of  Olclahoma  City.  Putnam's  was  one  of  tlie  most 
dramatic  speculations  in  the  history  of  the  Southwest.  On 
September  11,  he  paid  or  contracted  to  ])ay  Henry  Sdiaffer 
of  El  Eeno  and  J.  W.  ]\raney  of  Oklahoma  City  s2(i(i,0(:)0  for 
1,028  acres  of  land  between  the  Putnam  Heights  Additi(»n  and 
a  site  some  miles  to  the  west  for  a  sul)urban  town  he  had 
tentatively  named  Oklacadian.  on  a  pi'oposed  interurl)an  ex- 
tension. Previously  Putnam  had  bought  800  acres  in  that 
vicinity  for  $251,000.  The  name  of  the  projected  "model 
city"  later  was  changed  to  Putnam  City.  The  tracts  were 
platted,  streets  marked  and  named,  trees  planted,  buildings 
ere<'ted  and  other  improviMiicnts  made,  and  ]\[r.  Putnam  had 
the  j)leasure  on  X(iveml)er  G  of  welcoming  there  tlie  first  inter- 


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322  Tlir:  STOKY   OF  OKLAHOMA   (ITV 

urban  car  rim  In"  the  Oklahoma  Railway  Cojnpany  wvr  a 
liue  that  was  l)uikliiig  to  El  Reiiu. 

Prutitiiig-  by  the  defeat  of  a  prdposcfl.  city  chartei-  in  the 
l)re\-inus  year,  repi'csentative  men.  still  desirous  of  nuuucipal 
refiirms.  this  year  initiated  another  movement  toward  con- 
struction and  adoption  nf  a  chartei'.  The  movement  had  its 
ineeiition  in  a  (iood  ( Jovei'iinient  Lea,i;ue  of  whi(di.  earl}-  in 
the  year.  Dr.  A.  1\.  West  was  president.  Doctor  West  retired, 
howeAX'r,  b(d'oi-e  the  campaign  started  an<l  was  succeeded  by 
J.  ^I.  Bass  and  he  a  few  weeks  later  I)y  Iv.  A.  Kleiuschmidt. 
Pre.sideut  W.  T.  (_'order  <d'  the  city  conncil,  in  the  absence  (d' 
Mayor  Scales,  on  November  7,  issued  a  call  for  an  election  to 
be  held  December  6  for  the  selection  of  a  board  of  freeholdei's 
to  draft  a  charter.  The  freeholders  elected  were  George  Iv. 
Williams,  Dr.  C.  B.  Bradford.  J.  H.  Everest,  Henry  Cl.^Sny- 
der,  Thomas  H.  Harper,  John  W.  Stevens,  J.  (\  Johnson,  J. 
M.  McCornaek,  Loyal  J.  Midler  and  Sanmel  Murphy 

The  Eighty-niners  Association  held  a  celebiation  on 
oijeuing  day  that  was  a  little  more  ambitious  than  on  former 
amnversarics.  staging  a  parade  and  executing  a  program  at 
Delmar  (iarden.  Jn  the  jtarade  appeared  Belh'  Cunuingham. 
the  lirst  white  child  born  in  Oklahoma,  and  (Jeorge  Stiles 
carried  the  first  dag  that  floated  in  the  new  city.  Addresses 
were  delivered  l)y  Dr.  A.  C.  Scott  and  E.  D.  Cameron,  state 
superinl<>n(lcnt  of  education.  A  conunittee  consisting  of  J. 
A.  J.  IJaugus,  Sidney  Clarke  and  J.  AV.  Johnson  was  ap- 
pointed to  draft  a  l)ill  to  be  pi'csentcd  to  the  Legislature  pro- 
viding that  April  2'2  should  be  a  legal  holiday  throughout  the 
state.  O.  A.  Mitscher  was  reelected  iiresident  (»f  the  associa- 
tion. A.  1).  Marbli',  vice  president,  d.  A.  d.  Ikiugus.  secretary. 
and  Mrs.  I'red  Sutton,  treasurer. 

On  dune  19  -d'  this  year  occurred  the  <leath  of  Sidney 
Clarke,  a  member  of  the  hhghty-ninei's  Association  and  one 
of  the  ablest  (d'  Oklahoma  pioneers.  He  had  been  a  personal 
friend  of  Aliraham  Lincoln  and  Mi'.  Lincoln  had  given  him 
a  commission  in  the  army.  He  had  serx'ed  three  terms  in 
Congiess  from  l\aiisas  and  was  a  friend  and  ad\isor  (d'  ('\\])t. 
David  Tayne  and  ('apt.  W.  L.  Couch,  the  original  IxM.m.M- 
leaders,  lie  was  a  native  of  Massaclmsc^tts.  having  been  lM,rn 
in  Southl)riduv  in  1S:",L     For  H\-e  vears  he  was  editor  of  the 


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Tin-:  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  325 

Soutlibrid^e  Press,  and  in  1885  he  was  eonnnissiuued  by  the 
Chicago  Tribune  to  accompany  General  Sheridan  to  Fort 
Eeno  to  settle  some  incipient  Indian  troubles.  Prior  to  that, 
however,  he  had  settled  in  Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  from  liis 
district  was  elected  to  the  state  Legislature  in  1858.  He  was 
elected  to  Congress  in  1864  and  reelected  twice  thereafter.  He 
was  defeated  for  reelection  in  ]8T<)  and  in  1878  was  a  can- 
didate for  the  United  States  .Senate.  He  came  to  Oklahoma 
at  the  time  of  the  oi)ening  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
city  government.  His  was  a  trained  and  logical  mind  and 
he  had  the  temi)eramcnt  and  capacity  of  a  safe  and  useful 
leader.  At  his  funeral,  orations  were  delivered  by  Dr.  A.  C. 
Scott  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  H.  Harper. 

Interests  represented  l)y  L.  E.  Patterson,  which  had  con- 
structed a  section  of  street  railroad  and  contemijlated  an 
interurban  line  to  ShaAvnee,  were  granted  a  franchise  in  the 
April  election  that  a]»])arently  paved  the  way  for  an  entrance 
to  the  business  district.  These  interests  were  merged  on 
November  11  with  interests  rei)resented  by  Homer  S.  Hurst 
of  Holdenville  and  out  of  the  merger  gi'ew  the  Citizens  Trac- 
tion Company,  wliich  was  organized  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$300,000,  and  of  whi.-h  L.  E.^Patterson.  H.  S.  Hurst,  W.  F. 
Harn,  J.  F.  AVinans  and  Alfred  Hare,  the  latter  of  Shawnee, 
were  elected  directors.  The  merger  came  about  through  the 
Hurst  interests  blocking  the  route  of  the  Patterson  interests 
east  from  McXa])b  Park  and  the  Patterson  interests  ))lock- 
ing  the  way  of  the  Hurst  iiiterests  to  an  Oklahoma  City  ter- 
minal. 

Other  events  of  the  year  ineluded  the  organization  of  the 
permanent  Oklahoma  ^Municipal  League,  of  which  Mayor 
Scales  was  elected  president  and  City  Attorney  "\V.  R.  Taylor, 
chairman  of  the  executive  and  legislative  connnittee:  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Glen's  Dinner  Clul),  of  which  C.  B.  Ames 
was  elected  president,  H.  (i.  Snyder,  secretary,  and  Dr.  A.  C. 
Scott,  Dr.  A.  K.  West.  Dr.  Ceorge  Bradford.  Judge  George 
^X.  Clark,  D.  AV.  Hogan  and  J.  ('.  Clark,  menilicrs  of  the  exec- 
utive connnittee:  a  \isit  of  John  W.  Gates,  who  ])ui']>osed 
building  a  railroad  from  Oklahoma  City  to  Wichita  Falls, 
but  who  announced  that  he  was  deterred  liy  a  constitutional 
])rovision  that  t'orba<le  the  sale  of  a  new  railroad  to  an  estab- 


.  '  /.i"ii;/,.r/i(.   ■i.i  VilDi';-- 


i-        \yA'AV   rviv.  A   I  ;ifj  I   ■  rtKTt  ,.  •  fiV/  -(iH     .M-ji tacit ;f»ij    ifi-} 


.l-.i'.'l-j.       -  M-.M>I    Mill    .,1 


:     ^      'l-i;   (■■■    i      i:i'  ;  ."(H'  IKV;^ 
:        .    ;.    :.M,,  .,fi;,;,  //    .■'     !.  ,:"<j;lT 

,!i;(iin( 

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.  :.    •.■    ■.-     :,   :..|   ./  .  v.;-'/  V  ,ff-;H 

<:<,M'f  ■:  )!■-!/  ■itii  '1m  ■,nir,:N:i,rr;y 
.!-  :•  ,!l  !.<;-;.;- n<;  f--;.'.!-.  'iv/f 
„.;.     ^.|     o,,7/     >[  ./       ■!     ■.  .     ■ 

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326  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITV 

lislied  railroad  eoiupaiiy  upcratiiiL;'  in  the  state;  the  granting 
of  a  new  tweiity-tive-year  fiaiicliise  to  the  Oklahoma  <ias  cV: 
Eleetrie  ('(iiii[)aiiy;  e.stablishnieiit  of  the  Tradesmen's  JJauk 
with  a  eapital  of  .s5U.0(»0,  of  whirh  Frank  Wikoff  was  elei-ted 
president,  J.  (.'.  ^loClelland,  vice  ]>i-esident.  and  .J.  K.  ^Lundell. 
cashier;  tlie  organization  id' a  Hoard  of  Trade,  of  which  Liiuan 
House  was  elected  jti'esident.  R.  II.  Drennan,  \ice  president, 
and  Major  Moberly,  secretary;  the  death,  Se];ti'ml)er  4,  id'  Dr. 
Daniel  Munger,  the  first  plnsician  to  open  an  ofhce  in  the 
city;  the  circulation  of  a  petition  by  an  organization  headed 
by  Dorset  Carter,  and  of  which  A.  L.  Walker  of  AA'aurika 
was  secretary,  asking  for  an  election  to  elinnnate  from  the 
constitution  that  arti(de  objectional)le  to  railroad  promoters; 
completion  of  the  (ireat  White  AVay  on  Main  Street,  winch 
was  celebrated  with  speeches  by  H.  Y.  Thompson,  W.  T. 
Corder,  Seymour  Heyman  and  J.  V.  Harbour,  the  latter  being 
credited  with  l)eing  the  father  of  the  lighting  niovement ;  and 
the  organization  cd'  the  Oklahoma  Methodist  (*ollege.  of  \\\\\A\ 
Dr.  A.  C.  Enochs  was  elected  president,  tlie  Rev.  Fi'ank  Dar- 
rett,  vice  ])resident,  W.  W.  Rol)erts(.n,  secretary.  Dr.  J.  M. 
Bostelle,  ti'i'asurer.  and  Dr.  X.  L.  Eineljaugh,  su}>e]'intendent 
of  construction  an<l  the  sale  of  lots,  whereby  funds  were  to 
be  obtaininl  for  building  ])urposes  on  a  site  selected  two  nules 
north  of  Britton. 


Leslie's  AVeekly  i)ublislied  an  article  written  by  Sidney 
L.  Brock,  entitled  "The  Truth  Al>out  Oklahoma,"  from  which 
the  following  two  paragraphs  are  taken: 

"As  the  I'esult  <d'  the  follow-uj)  coi'respondence  ('am])aign 
(d'the  <'liani])ei'(d"  Connnerce  in  190S  and  1909.  ]dacing  Ixdore 
the  gi'eat  ]ia<-kei's  information  of  the  i)roduction.  soui'cc  (d' 
origin  and  destination  of  live  sttu-k  shipments  from  Okla- 
homa, and  the  advantages  of  Oklahoma  as  a  suitalile  i)lace  for 
the  establishment  of  a  packii'g  ]i]ant,  negotiations  wei'e  o])ened 
with  Moi-ris  A;  ('omjiany  <d"  ( 'hicago.  Tlunr  represeiUati\c 
looked  over  the  field.  (|uietl\-  secured  options  on  a  large  tract 
close  to  the  cit\'  and  tlu-n  called  on  the  writer  with  a  A"iew  to 
closing  the  deal  with  onr  <  'handier  of  Connnerce.  In  company 
with  one  trusted  associate,  a  leiitative  am-eemeiU  was  made. 
guaranteeing  on  the  part  (d'  the  i-ackers  the  establishment  of 


!/„!    Iw    ■!<• 


oi;f: 


,,..    •.!•>  -.;,■    T;,,;ii7.    :iovr\   ^\.u.  ■     ■    -.      .  ■ 

■         ,  -:■  -     ^^     ill:-!,     .   '  .    .  i-'    ..        ,;:     p:M-!^    !,(-. 


'I    i   ■     J/.MlI.i  .       ■    II. 


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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIID.MA  (  ITV  :.27 

a  great  live  stock  market.    The  citizens  of  Oklaliuma  City.  <m  . 

the  other  hand,  were  to  pay  the  packers  a  cash  bonus  of  .foOU,- 
000  and  grant  other  rcasonaI)le  and  necessary  specitied  con- 
ditions in  rehition  to  sewer  connections,  water  and  gas  ex- 
tensions and  exeni]ttion  fioni  taxation  for  a  live  year  teini. 

''How  to  get  the  cash  hoiui.->  was  the  question.  'Die  writer 
and  his  associate,  (ieiu'ge  15.  Stone,  hit  upon  tliis  idan:  Tlie 
j)ackers  were  induced  to  accept  hall'  the  bonus  when  the  plant 
should  be  ready  for  operation  and  the  balance  a  year  from  i 

that  date.  Their  representative  consented  to  no  publicity  till 
we  gave  the  word.  Options  un  'u'y  acres  of  land  were  secured, 
the  best  land  adjoining  and  overlooking  the  packing  district 
from  the  south,  and  all  within  the  thi'ee  mile  limit  of  the  center 
of  Oklahoma  City,  the  co.st  of  the  laud  being  ^184,000.  Three 
tedious  days  saw  the  options  in  our  hands:  then  the  directors 
of  the  Chamber  were  called  in  and  needless  to  say  quickly 
ratified  the  tentative  agreement.  The  Oklahoma  Industrial 
Company  was  planned,  Avitli  a  capitalization  of  $400,000,  to 
finance  the  proposition  and  guarantee  the  lionus.  At  a  mass 
meeting  on  the  19th  of  ]^[ay  at  10  o'clock  the  Asseml)ly  Hall 
could  not  contain  the  nudtitude.  The  announcement  of  the 
securing  of  the  ^lorris  iiroposition  was  made  and  the  plans  [■ 

were  laid  before  the  assemblage  for  linam-ing  it.  and  the  state-  : 

nient  was  made,  'it  is  np  to  you  to  make  good  and  secure  i 

this  great  enterprise.'     Did  they  respond?     Four   hundred  i 

and  twenty-seven  thousand  dollars  were  sul)sci'ibcd  in  an  hour  ■  j 

and  thirty  minutt'S  amid  great  cheering  and  enthusiastic  ad-  f 

dresses,  all  of  one  toni — that  of  ai>pro\-;il  and  hearty  coo]iera-  ■ 

tion.     The  packers  began  to  build  and  the  land  company  to  ; 

plot  and  to  sell.     In  the  year's  time  neai-ly  .•^TdO.diiO  wortli  of  '; 

lots  had  been  sold  and  2.0fH)  out  of  the  original  N.OOO  lots 
were  still  on  hand." 

In  reviewing  this  achievement  which  meant  so  nuich  to  ' 

the  future  welfare  and  development  of  (~)klahoma  City,  the  -' 

Daily  Oklahoman  i.aid  Mr.  liro.-k  and  his  ass,H-iat.'s  the  fol-  j. 

lowing  editorial  tribute:  "Xot  everyone  knows  the  tremendous 
effortswhich  were  i)ut  forth  l)v. Mr.  r.ro<-k  and  .Mr.  St<.ne.  Xot 
everylxidy  knows  that  Sidney  Hrock  ritled  the  luuik  acr.auit  of 
his  big  dr\-  goods  store  and  took  out  .<•_>.->.( )i lO  ,,1'  l,is  ,iwn  money 
with  which  to  purchase  options  which  wordd  be  necess;ir\-  to 


!;.i'"!'„i '!.>   :■'.■'  Y.iM'r-  'iht 


\;,ii"..,A.i^  I  :.'       ■  (      J   y.r.-Ai'.  ;■  ■  ■  • 

t'lr;      I->ri,/,     .^,...    ,         , ./■  >;-:    .if      ■ 


.ft  •'.    I,  ,Jr-)    . 


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;.;  ■m'T     .11'. ir 


il     ,■(•!/,■  ;!'.iil  a  .-tinYlO 

,1-^7/,  ,(,;  '|„,<i  .■<•,/■■, 
t-  --Jm..!-  /■(!'  vi''  --i'i 
rrfl'i)    ot   ii')i;!7('    ((1(7/ 


32S  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

insure  the  Ideation  of  the  l)iy  plant  in  Oklahoma  City.  He 
did  this  without  any  guarantee  that  one  dollar  would  be  re- 
funded to  him  in  case  he  lost  and  the  ]\Iorris  Company  decided 
to  locate  elsewhere.  He  did  it  without  hope  of  one  cent  of 
profit  to  himself  other  than  the  indirect  benefit  of  the  location 
of  the  packing  plant  here.  One  city  in  a  thousand  can  pro- 
duce men  of  the  sj^irit  and  caliber  of  Sidney  Brock  and  George 
Stone.  And  -any  community  which  is  fortunate  enough  to 
claim  citizens  who  are  ready  and  willing  to  stake  a  large  part 
of  their  fortune  on  the  hazard  of  greatly  benefiting  their  town 
can  never  go  backward." 


;  :'!    ■    I  J/KM: /.  (HO  '-l',*     (■■■■■  "..-    ^iWV                              ■'.'■Z'C 

fioi.ii.of     .;,..;-:;..')  ?rrr'.[^  ..x 

to    f!lv  ■    •   ■!..    1(.      a|n,'    ^;'...  ,t 

•■•■!  j   h  ,     l.f!);--i;    ifi   i;  'ti  \    :  ■     ,,  ■         i     .'  '     ■   ' ,     '  -'   ■<*' 

"^    ^    ._:,::   .        '■'.■■;  ••iiir;.'  f)  '..            ■    -^i-''  -^ii"v;ti-)  uriiMM 


1910— THE  CAPITAL  ACHIEVED 

By  au  iiicoiitcstable  majority  the  people  of  tlie  .state  ou 
June  11,  1910,  approved  of  the  Okhihoma  City  capital  bill. 
The  returns  were  so  patenth-  indicative  of  the  outcome  that 
long  before  the  official  count  was  made  Governor  Haskell 
unofficially  made  declaration  of  the  result  and  moved  his 
office  force  and  part  of  his  records  from  Guthrie  and  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  Huckins  Hotel.  By  night  the  great  seal 
of  the  state  was  secretly  brought  h>  the  mctroiJ(jlis.  The 
morning  after  the  election,  when  the  Guthrie  conuuittee  was 
considering  a  legal  blocking  procedure,  the  governor  indicted 
a  letter  to  Judge  J.  H.  Burford,  counsel  for  the  committee,  in 
which  he  advised  that  if  the  committee  desired  to  serve  him 
in  the  name  of  the  law  he  could  be  found  in  his  hotel  office 
in  Oklahoma  City. 

Oklahoma  City  postponed  plans  foi'  its  campaign  until 
after  it  had  negotiated  a  contract  for  the  location  of  a  second 
$3,000,000  packing  i^lant  and  successfully  waged  a  campaign 
for  the  issuance  of  $660,000  of  bonds  for  public  improvements. 
The  bonds  cari'ied  by  a  substantial  majority  on  April  5,  and 
of  the  amount,  $300,000  was  for  schools,  $150,000  for  improv- 
ing the  fire  department,  $10,000  for  establishing  a  fire  alarm 
system  and  $200,000  for  purchasing  Delmar  Garden  and  im- 
proving the  channel  of  the  Canadian  Eiver. 

Governor  Haskell  on  March  27,  l)eing  convinced  that  the 
Oklahoma  City  capital  conunittce  had  complied  with  the  law 
relating  to  the  initiation  of  bills  and  of  the  sufficiency  of  the 
petition  filed  with  the  secretary  of  state,  issued  a  call  for  an 
election  on  June  11.  The  petition  contained  nearly  twenty- 
eight  thousand  names  and  they  were  of  residents  of  a  ma- 
jority of  the  counties  of  the  state.  On  AjumI  5,  l.oOO  })ersous 
attended  the  first  capital  mass  meetiug.  prcsidful  over  liy  Sid- 
ney L.  Brock  and  a  cam])aign  conuuittee  was  apiiointcd  with 
E.  K.  Gaylord  as  chairman.  Acting  on  advice  of  G(tveruor 
.329 


ti  )A  .l/.TiVA)  :iTIT~0[(>i 


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U30  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  (ITV  '' 

Haskell,  avIki,  it  should  he  noted,  was  fmiii  the  outset  in 
fcivor  of  the  Oklahoma  ('it_\-  measure  and  of  the  location 
of  the  capital  hero,  but  who  adroitly  manifested  a  more  or 
less  impartial  attitude,  the  eomnutti'e  on  May  20  appointed  a 
sub-connnittee  to  prepare  le^al  o[>tions  on  capitol  lan;-s  and 
another  eonnnittee  to  secure  options.  The  lirst  conunittee  wa< 
composed  of  J.  H.  iMcrest,  < ".  13.  Ames  and  \V.  A.  Ledlx'tter. 
and  the  second  of  C.  F.  Coleord.  Hem-y  0\erholser.  S.  h. 
Brock,  F.  P.  Johnson  and  AV.  L.  Alexander.     At  the  same  | 

time  Chairman  Gaylord  sent  a  challenge  to  Senator  Campbell  :, 

Russell  to  debate  the  issue  jointly  with  Judge  E.  8.  Hurt  of  | 

Madill  who  had  been  emjiloyed  by  the  eonnnittee  for  that  | 

purpose,  Russell  meanwhile  having  initiated  a  Xew  Jerusa-  | 

1cm  bill  to  be  suljmitted  in  the  X(_iveml)er  election.  Senator 
Russell  accepted  the  challenge  and  one  of  the  outstanding 
features  of  the  campaign  was  this  series  of  joint  delxites. 

On  the  1st  day  of  June  the  options  committee  snl)mitted 
to  Governor  Haskell  four  propositions.  The  first  of  them  was 
that  1,380  acres  of  land  northeast  of  the  city  could  be  obtained 
for  $275,000  and  800  acres  additional  without  cost.  The  second 
was  made  l)y  I.  AI.  Putnam,  who  meantime  had  invested  $200.- 
000  in  a  quarter-section  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Putnam  City. 
making  the  total  of  his  investments  there  nearly  $750,000. 
His  proposition  was  that  for  and  in  consideration  of  •■?]  he 
would  deliver  to  the  state  2,000  acres  of  laud  near  Putnam 
City.  The  third  was  that  800  acres  of  land  could  l)e  had 
fo/ $36.50  an  acre  about  21  o  miles  south  of  the  city.  The 
fourth  called  for  the  exiienditure  of  $250  an  acre  for  1.500 
acres  east  (d'  the  city. 

This  report  actuated  the  eouunittees  at  Cuthrie  and  Shaw- 
nee to  UKA-e  more  dtdinitely  toward  a  site  and  acr(\ige  vantage 
point,  and  within  a  few  days  each  submitted  to  the  govern<u' 
a  proposition. 

The  campaign  necessarily  was  carried  into  e\-ery  com- 
nuunty  <d'  the  state.  While  the  Oklahoma  ( "ity  eonnnittee 
and  other  organizations  and  the  ministei's  in  the  puljdts  coun- 
seled fair  play  and  an  hoiU'St  election,  and  while  there  is  no 
douht  that  in  a  general  way  it  was  as  clean  a  tight  as  excr 
was  ma<le  1)y  a  municipality,  strati'uy  and  ti-eachec\-  and  a<'ri- 
monv  Were  indulged  in  to  an  extent  b\-  all  thi-ee  of  the  coui- 


.      ■Ii.'i.i    -tif"?    ■;.'   hi'.r.    ■■■tff^cMiii     /ti  J    )iii;  . ';-!;i-  ii'i 

I  >'   (II-.'     '    Ji(f<;->        <■         I    ''t'»M    I;., J   )[      f!)..!   rj.  (    .,' 

r.    ■     .  .'in  .-.    :>■<<      ,r;  1        .<(I<m:,j    .  -.i;!*)'  ••'   MMli    I,:    ,im  ■    .   :  :  i.   !■   ■ 


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■■'■■•'   :l       .  r.,.h-    ■■■'.'    !■'    vii.iii'i! 

'•    ■,     '    ■;.•   1  ;iii;  :-    ■;  \n   JiUJt    f(<ir(.[> 

■(,,.■11    .  .\i\,;-  ii'iiMi  '  7,!    .i.Kii;  ■'. 

■A,  :.    ni    .!!     |., ■,;:!!. |!f'rr,7/. 


33j-  3  3X. 


THE  STORY  t)F  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  333 

mittees  of  applicant  t-itit'S.  The  uiajurity  fur  Oklahuma  City 
was  over  thirty  thoiisaud.  The  \-ictory  was  celebrated  at  the 
State  Fair  Park  ou  Juue  15.  Fifteen  thonsand  persons  par- 
tici2)ated  and  the  principal  address  was  made  by  CJovernor 
Haskell.  The  following  day  the  guvcrnDr  issued  his  pnicla- 
mation  declaring  Oklahoma  City  the  cai)ital.  xVIready  the 
Guthrie  committee  had  secured  an  injunction  in  the  District 
Court  forbidding  other  state  officials  from  moving  to  Okla- 
homa Cit}'.  The  conunittee  appealed  also  to  United  States 
Judge  Ralph  Campbell  but  he  dismissed  the  petition,  hijld- 
ing  that  he  was  without  jurisdiction.  Another  appeal  went 
from  Guthrie  to  the  President  and  inunediately  Attorney 
General  AVest  asked  for  a  conference  with  United  States  At- 
torney General  Wickersham.  Governor  Haskell  made  the 
next  move  by  applying  to  the  Supreme  Coiu't  for  a  writ  of 
prohibition  against  the  interference  of  District  Judge  Huston 
of  Logan  County.  The  Supreme  Court,  four  weeks  later,  in 
an  opinion  written  by  Justice  R.  L.  Williams  held  that 
nothing  in  the  constitution  forljade  the  governor  maintaining 
his  office  at  any  place  in  the  state  but  denied  the  right  of 
otlier  state  officials  ti>  maintain  their  offices  elsewhere  than 
in  the  capital,  which  the  court  indicated  had  not  been  legally 
removed  from  Guthrie. 

The  governor,  howe-^-er,  pr(X-eeded  with  plans  for  carrying 
out  the  will  of  the  people.  He  appointed  a  capital  conunis- 
sion  consisting  of  Dr.  Leo  Bennett  of  ]\[uskogee,  J.  B.  A. 
Robertson  of  Chandler  and  Tate  Brady  of  TuLsa.  B.  S.  Ut- 
terback  was  chosen  secretary  of  the  conunission.  Robertson 
resigned  a  short  time  later  and  his  place  was  taken  liy  Boone 
Williams  of  Lehigli.  who  had  l)een  a  member  of  the  constitu- 
tional convention.  On  Aiigust  23  the  commission  aunoimced 
its  acceptance  of  the  offer  of  the  Putnam  tract.  It  employed 
Dr.  Charles  X.  Gould  of  the  State  University  to  make  a  sur- 
vey relating  to  water  su]»ply  and  drainage,  and  arranged  with 
George  F.  Kessler.  a  landscape  architect,  to  make  ])reliminary 
plans  for  landscaping  the  capital  l)lock. 

Another  case  contesting  the  legality  of  the  June  11  elec- 
tion having  reached  the  Su]ii'enie  Court,  that  tribunal  on  Xo- 
vember  15  issued  an  o])iuirin  declaring  \-oi(l  that  provision  of 
the  l'hial)ling  Act  relating  to  the  tenqioraiy  location  of  the 


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3;]4  THK  STOIJV   OF  OKLAHOMA  (  ITV 

capital  and  assci'tin-  that  tlir  imojiIc  of  tlu'  state  lia  I  i>n\\.-\- 
and  autlioi  ity  t<>  Jncate  the  capital  I'ni-  themselves.  This  dpiii- 
idiulid  )i(it  uphold  the -June  11  election,  and  (iovenioi-  ll;isi;e!l 
is>;ned  a  eall  foi'  an  exti-aoi'dinai-y  session  of  tlu-  Le^islaf.iU' 
to  enact  a  law  detinitel\-  and  peiananently  locating  the  scat 
id'  L;o\"eninu'nt.  The  JA'uislature  was  cnnwned  on  Xo\-en'.I)e!' 
2S  and  ininie;Iiatel\-  l)oth  honses  ralitied  the  call  of  the  execn- 
ti\'e.  hi  due  tin.e  a  hill  was  introdnc('d  in  the  Ilense  kn.swn 
as  the  Dnrant-Tlionipsoii  bill  pl■o^-idini;■  that  Oklaliouia  (':t\ 
should  he  de(dared  the  permanent  state  capital.  The  hill  was 
passed  hy  the  House  after  the  name  of  IJan  J\-er_\-  <d'  Cai  ne-ie 
had  been  hyphenated  into  the  title.  Since  Mr.  I'eery  a  a 
memlier  of  the  first  Territorial  Legislature  had  been  tiu'  tiist 
man  to  suggest  Oklahoma  City  as  the  capital,  as  lias  been 
told  l)y  tlu'  late  Y.  S.  ilarde  in  another  part  of  this  history, 
that  distinguished  })ioneer  was  gratilied  by  the  lienor  of  hav- 
ing a  part  in  making  the  last  legislative  contribution  to  tlie 
sul)jeet. 

In  the  Senate  a  bill  was  introduced  !)y  Seiiatoi-  J.  1>. 
Thom]ison  (d'  Pauls  \'alley  providing  f(U'  the  sale  of  ci'rtain 
tracts  of  state  school  laud  mulli  of  the  city  for  ca]»ital  pur- 
poses. "J'his  bill  was  rep(»rted  to  have  been  saucti<ined  by  the 
governor.  ()u  December  S,  Senator  Thom]ison.  chairman  of 
the  ca]»ital  couuuittee.  addiessed  a  letter  t(«  "the  people  of  tlie 
state  of  Oklahoma""  in  wliidi  he  a^sei-ted  tliat  n<i  bill  would 
be  I'eported  favorably  or  ]ias-ed  by  the  Legislature  until  tliat 
body  had  been  gi\-en  }iositi\'e  and  substantial  assurance  tint 
the  people  of  the  state,  by  virtue  of  the  act.  were  to  reccixe 
a  capital  without  cost  to  tlii'm.  The  Oklahoma  City  commit- 
tee again  went  into  action.  It  was  advised  that  tli<'  seuatoi- 
was  s]ieaking  for  otheis  aLo  in  high  authority  and  it  wa^ 
con\-iuce(l  that  the  Lutuaui  site  would  be  abandoned  and  an- 
other selected  iiearei'  to,  and  ill  a  northeasterly  direction  from. 
the  (dty.  A\'liereu]ioii  it  secureil  options  on  tracts  to  the 
northeast,  and  on  December  14  the  Senate  j^assed  a  resolution 
acce])ting  the  (dfei'  of  a  site  at  the  intersection  of  Twenty- 
third  Street  and  Liiirolu  r.oule\-ar<l.  AVlieii  this  resolution 
leaclied  tlie  IIou-i'.  which  liad  craxed  the  hou.u-  of  iuitiatiim 
capital  lei;i>lation.  that  body  ]U'oiiiptly  tabled  it.  <  'oiifereiices 
led  to  an  eai'ly  amicable  settleiueut  id'  minor  dis])utes  and  the 


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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLATIO.MA  CITY  337 

measure  was  adi'plcd  by  the  House  and  duly  signed  and  ap- 
Ijroved  by  SiJeaker  W.  B.  Autliony. 

With  the  issue  thus  definitely  settled,  with  Oklahoma  City 
almost  beyond  peradventure  the  i)ermauent  eapital  of  the 
state,  the  capital  c(»mmittee  then  reoryanized  its  furei'S  to 
assist  state,  officials  and  the  Capital  Comuussion  in  prelimi- 
nary steps  for  construction  of  a  buildiuL!,-.  The  lirst  step  was 
the  organization  of  the  Capital  Building  Company,  of  which 
C.  G.  Jones  was  elected  temporary  ]n'esident  and  Oriu  Ashton 
temporar}-  secretary.  Temporary  directors  were  Henry  Over- 
hols&r,  C."  F.  Colc.ird,  C.  C.  Jones,  W.  F.  Harn,  J.  J.  Cul- 
Ijertson,  K.  AV.  Dawson,  Edward  S.  A^aught,  O.  J.  Johnson, 
E.  F.  Sparrow,  S.  L.  Brock  and  O.  G.  Lee. 

The  historic  perfurnianee  of  the  previous  year  respecting 
the  esta]:»lishment  of  a  packing  plant,  the  boosters  were  called 
ujion  to  repeat  on  February  1  of  this  year.  On  that  date  a 
deiinite  proposal  was  received  1)y  the  Chaml)er  of  Commerce 
from  the  Schwarzchild  &  Sulzl)erger  Packing  Company.  It 
asked  for  a  cash  bonus  of  $300,000,  water,  sewer  and  gas 
main  extensions  to  the  building  site,  a  fire  station  near  the 
site,  and  free  water  to  the  amount  of  350.000  gallons  daily  for 
five  years.  A  committee  consisting  of  AVeston  Atwood,  0.  G. 
Lee,  Scpnour  Heyman,  John  Shartcl  and  William  ^lee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  proposal.  It  learned  shortly  that 
the  Helmai'  Garden  tract  was  available  for  snl^division  inw- 
poscs,  the  tract  at  that  time  being  owned  by  the  Parkside 
Realty  Company,  composed  of  C.  F.  Colcord.  J.  R.  Keaton, 
John  Sino]>oulo  and  John  ^^farre.  Pai-t  of  it  was  under  lease 
to  the  l)aseba]l  association.  The  tract  consisted  of  1G4  aei'es 
and  was  oli'ered  to  the  Packinghouse  Development  Company, 
which  was  formed  shortly  thereafter,  for  $200,001).  A  tract 
of  fifty  acres  adjoining  was  offered  for  $95,000  l)y  J.  S.  Carle. 
J.  A.  J.  Baugus.  who  owned  T2S  acres  near  the  park  on  the 
west,  offered  the  company  tlu'  pi'oceeds  of  sales  al»ove  a  net 
price  to  him  of  $L900  an  acre. 

The  Packinghouse  Development  Company  had  a  capital 
stock  of  $400,000  and  slKues  were  $100  eadi.  The  incorpo- 
rators were  Seymour  Heyman.  Salomon  Baith.  A.  IT.  Clas- 
sen, C.  II.  Russell.  ('.  F.  ('olc.a-d.  W.  T.  Hales,  (i.  B.  Stone, 
A.  E.  Monronev,  J.  R.  Keaton,  O.  (i.  Lee  and  O.  P.  Workman. 


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338  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

At  a  iiias.s  incetiny  held  on  Feljruary  4,  the  cash  Ijuiius 
was  guaranteed  to  the  })aeker.s.  ^Ir.  Ckissen  led  the  subscrip- 
tion makers  with  an  olfev  (jf  .$20,000.  AVithin  twenty  minutes 
$100,000  was  subscril)ed.  Among  those  who  subscrilx'd  $10,000 
each  weiv  C.  F.  Colcord,  R.  J.  Edwards,  AV.  T.  Hales,  E.  H. 
Cooke,  S.  L.  Brock  and  C.  G.  J(.ues.  '-What  will  Putnam 
do?"  some  one  shouted.  The  premier  young  I'eal  estati'  i>ro- 
moter  answered.  '-I'll  take  all  that  is  left."  This  the  assem- 
blage greeted  with  uproarious  applause.  But  the  hot  cakes 
contiimed  to  ^o  so  rai)id]y  Putnam  feared  what  was  left 
would  be  too  small  for  a  man's  honor  U>  rest  securely  upiui 
and  he  changed  front  and  announced  a  suljscription  of  $20,000. 
In  an  interim  of  comparatiA-e  quietude  Seymour  Heyman, 
buriung  with  a  zeal  that  revealed  the  man's  conception  of  mod- 
ern city  l>uildin^.  exclaimed,  '"A  booster  is  one  who  does  all  the 
good  he  can  just  as  long  as  he  can  to  all  the  people  he  can 
and  leaves  the  rest  to  God.  A  knocker  is  a  thing  on  a  door; 
who  the  hell  wants  to  be  a  knocker?" 

Later  the  Packinghouse  Development  Company  No.  2  was 
organized  with  John  81uirtel,  president,  C.  E.  Colcord,  vice 
president,  1.  M.  Putnam,  vice  president,  O.  P.  AVorkman, 
general  manager,  Seymour  Heyman,  treasurer,  and  A.  AV. 
McKeand,  secretai'}'.  Construction  of  the  second  packery  was 
started  April  11.  On  October  3  the  ^lorris  plant  was  for- 
mally opened.  Sidney  L.  Brock  pushed  the  electric  Indton 
that  put  machinery  in  motion  and  speeches  were  made  l)y 
Governor  Haskell,  (naves  Eeci.ei-  and  ]\lr.  Brock.  It  was 
estimated  that  2.").()()()  persons  went  throu-li  the  plant  tliat 
day.  Two  thousand  men  were  giwu  employment  and  din-ing 
the  (lav  2,.'3(lO  li.ius.  l,.")!)!)  cattle  and  1,000  slieep  were  slaugh- 
tered. " 

Another  city  charter  went  to  defeat  by  a  difference  in  totals 
of  less  than  ^ne  hundi-ed  votes  on  August  2.  The  instrument 
was  coniiileted  early  in  the  year.  Sections  (d'  it  were  coudeunied 
in  the  cami>aii:n  l)y  the  ( iimd  <  ioveriunent  i-eauue  wliicli  found 
that  ward  and  pnlitical  lines  had  not  been  oliliterated  in  tlie 
maimer  the  league  had  ad\'o<-ated.  An  amemlnieid  liy  Eoyal 
J.  .Atiller  (.f  the  treelmlders.  which  ].r.. Voiced  the  lirst  .-ou- 
troversy.  was  adopteil.  with  the  result  that  a  bitter  war  am^e 
])etween  (ir-anizati(>ns  for  and  auaiust  the  iiolitical  sub  li\-i- 


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THI-:  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  339 

sion  pr()L;iaiii.  AV.  A.  Lcdhetter,  i-ci)rc.SL'iiting  a  L'oiiciliatiun 
eoimnittcf,  ai)peared  Ix'fnre  the  board  and  a  semhlauce  of 
hanuoiiy  I'l'snlti'd.  The  general  (•ani])ai,L!,ii  for  adoption  ol  the 
charter  was  condiictcil  hy  the  City  Charter  Chih.  organized 
April  8,  of  wliirli  Dr.  C.  B.  r.ra<lford  was  ]. resident.  .Joseph 
Huekins,  Jr..  ^-ice  })resident,  SaniiU'l  Muriihy,  secretary,  (iuy 
Blaekwelder,  assistant  seeretar\',  and  Cuy  Turner,  treasurer. 

In  the  Xovenil)er  election  Lee  Crnce  was  chosen  governor, 
defeating  Joseph  McXeal  of  Uutlirie,  the  repuldican  nominee, 
by  30,000  votes.  McXeal  had  defeated  C.  (i.  Jones  of  Okla- 
homa City  tor  the  nonunation.  The  effort  (d'  Mr.  -Lau's  to 
secure  the  nonunation  f(U'  governor  was  his  last  active  par- 
ticipation in  politic-s  in  Oklahonia.  At  this  election  the  i>eo])le 
defeated  an  initiated  measure  re})t'aling  the  prohibition  article 
of  the  constitution,  and  they  dcd'eatt-d  an  amendment  giving 
women  suffrage  and  the  Russell  New  Jerusalem  amendment. 
Other  .state  officers  elected  were  J.  J.  McAlester.  lieutenant 
governor;  B.  F.  Harrison,  secretary  <d'  state;  T.eo  Clever, 
auditor;  Charles  AVest,  attorney  general;  Robert  Dunkoii. 
treasurer;  R.  II.  Wilson,  superintendent  of  public  instruction  ; 
Charles  A.  Taylor,  examiner  and  inspector;  1m1  Boyle,  nunc 
inspector;  P.  A.  Ballard,  insurance  conuiiissioiier ;  (iiles  AV. 
Farris,  state  printer;  Charles  L.  Baugherty.  connnissioner  of 
labor;  Kate  Barnard,  commissioner  <if  charities  and  correc- 
tions; 0.  T.  Bryan,  president  (d'  the  board  of  agi'iculture;  AV. 
H.  L.  Canip])e]l,  clerk  of  the-Suprenie  Court,  and  as  then  con- 
stituted the  corporation  conmiissi(iU  consisted  >>(  (ieorge  A. 
Henshaw,  A.  P.  Watson  and  Jack  Love.  .Meml)ers  of  the 
Supreme  Court  were  Jolui  U.  Turner.  R.  L.  A\'illiams.  M.  J. 
Kane,  S.  AA\  Ifayes  and  Jesse  J.  Dunn.  Meml>eis  of  tlie 
Criminal  Court  of  Appeals  ^\•ere  rienr\-  M.  Furman,  James  R. 
Armstrong  and  Thomas  IL  B.,yle. 

Alemliei  s  of  the  Chaml>er  of  Commerce,  l)elieving  that  busi- 
ness men  hail  ]irofite(l  h-<nn  nustakes  of  former  cam]»aigns 
and.  having  become  educated  to  the  possil)le  advantages  of  a 
commission  form  of  government,  determined  to  ha\'e  another 
charter  i)rei.ared.  the  fourth  in  the  city's  historv.  Accord- 
ingly on  October  10  a  conmiittee  was  a]i]»oiiite'l  to  l;iy  pl.-ms 
to  that  end.  The  c(,mniittee  consisted  of  O.  P.  \\',,rkman.  J. 
AT.  Owen  and  <"'.  F.  Colcord.    Two  days  later  a  camitaign  com- 


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340  THK  yTORV  OF  OKI.AIIO-MA  CITY 

mittee  was  appuiutcd  nf  which  1\.  E.  Staffurd  was  i-.hairiuau 
and  W.  E.  Cauipbell,  secretary.  The  Chamber  selected  and 
gave  public  endorsement  of  candidates  of  Ijoth  democratic  and 
republican  parties  for  freeholders.  Ereeholders  elected  were 
Dr.  C.  B.  Bradford.  John  W.  Xicely,  Rol)ert  Chownin-. 
George  Ross,  Claude  Weaver,  \V.  ^\^  Storm.  11  C.  liousel,  J. 
C.  Gilniore,  (Jeorge  Shotwcll,  J.  11.  Stewart,  ('lark  C.  Hudson, 
R.  A.  Caldwell,  ^V.  R.  Clement.  L.  Radin.  J.  E.  AVarren  and 
Eraidv  AVclls.  A  conunittee  to  write  the  charter  was  selected, 
consisting  of  :\Ir.  Hudson,  .Mr.-  Weaver,  Mr.  Shotwell,  :\Ir. 
Storm  and  Mr.  Stewart. 

New  Orleans'  ]\[ardi  Gras  was  inutated  this  year  in  the 
character  of  the  natal  day  celebration.    The  celebration  was  f 

promoted  1)y  the  Eighty-niners  Association  and  a  new  organi- 
zation known  as  the  Aprillis  Fiesta  Company,  the  directors  of 
which  were  Mrs.  Fred  Sutton,  Mrs.  Mary  ^IcClure,  Mrs.  Ma- 
rion F.  Rock,  ]\Irs.  C.  A.  ^IcXabl),  ;Mrs.  James  George,  ^Irs. 
^y.  R.  (^lement,  :\rrs.  John  AVingler,  0.  A.  :\Iitcher,  John  Har- 
rah,  John  S.  Kerfoot,  T.  F.  :\Icilechau,  J.  M.  Owen  and  A.  H.  \ 

Classen.  The  most  pretentious  and  altogether  the  most  pic- 
turesque parade  that  had  ever  ]>een  given  in  Oklahoma  was 
the  outstanding  feature  of  the  event.  It  was  a  riot  of  flowers 
and  colors,  a  magnificent  spectacle  of  decorated  floats  and 
motor  cars  and  of  dress  adapted  from  styles  and  customs  of  1 

the  several  periods  depicted.    It  was  led  l)y  Governor  Haskell  -1 

and  a  conmiittee  of  the  promoting  (n-ganizations.    Miss  Myrtle  ^ 

Owen  was  the  fiesta  (|ueen  and  was  called  La  Reine  Aprilla.  j 

!Miss  Jennie  Bradford  was  her  maid  of  honor.    Hart  AVand 
was  the  king,  calle*!  Rex  Aiuillo,  and  seven  attendants  were 
in  the  galaxy  of  his  troupe.  Of  especial  interest  in  the  period- 
depicting  section  was  a  boomer's  covered  wagon  drawn  by  an  X 
ox  and  a  mule.  i 

The  Oklahoma  :\ledical  College,  which  was  instituted  tn  \ 

tea<-h  the  latter  two  years  of  a  four-year  course,  the  first 
two  being  taught  in  the  State  University  at  Xorman,  opened  ^ 

its  first  session  September  ]•").    During  the  ceremonies  of  the  ; 

opening  addresses  were  made  by  Dr.  A.  Cirant  E\-ans,  ])resi-  t 

dent  of  the  State  Universitv.  and  Dr.  A.  K.  AA'c^t.  The  first 
faculty  consisted  of  Dr.  AV.-^t  and  Drs.  A.  E.  r>lesh.  Lee  A.  4 

Rcily,  A.  D.  Vounu-.  R.  M.  Howard.  M.  Smith.  L.  H.  r>uxton.  \ 


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THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  343 

H.  C.  Todd,  E.  S.  Fergusou,  Iloraoe  Eeed,  J.  W.  Rik-y,  E. 
S.  Lain,  E.  K.  Day,  L.  J.  Moorinau,  R.  E.  Loouey,  S.  R. 
Cminiiigliam,  J.  AV.  Jolly,  R.  L.  Fu.ster,  C.  Lee,  X.  CI.  Busby, 
Leila  Andrews  and  J.  F.  ^lessenbaiigh. 

Some  other  events  of  the  year  were  these:  the  first  Okla- 
homa Automobile  Dealers"  Association  was  organized  with 
John  McClelland,  president;  G.  Page,  vice  president;  Ray 
Colcord,  secretary;  R.  H.  Mulch,  Jr.,  treasurer,  and  F.  R. 
Thompson,  chairman  of  the  board ;  im  January  25,  I.  M.  Hol- 
comb  resigned  as  cashier  of  the  Oklahoma  City  National  Bank 
to  engage  in  lecture  work  and  was  succeeded  by  Colin  S. 
Campbell  of  Chicago;  G.  W.  R.  Chinn,  Eighty-niuer,  who  had 
installed  the  first  telephone  in  the  city,  died;  E.  B.  Coekrcll, 
on  rcconmiendation  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  State 
Bankers  Association,  was  ai)pointcd  bank  commissioner  to 
succeed  A.  M.  A'oung,  resigned,  Mr.  Cockrell  himself  retiring 
onXovember  15  to  liccome  an  oftieer  of  the  Central  State  Banlc, 
stock  in  which  be  bought  from  Clay  Vreljster,  vice  i^resident, 
and  R.  M.  Estes,  assistant  cashier;  the  law  department  of 
Epworth  University  was  abandoned  and  the  graduating  class 
of  the  year  was  Harry  E.  Brill,  AV.  H.  Winn,  J.  R.  Connell, 
R.  A.  Weeks,  W.  A.  French,  11.  B.  IIopps  and  ^V.  F.  ^[c- 
Laury ;  on  July  25.  the  census  Inireau  reported  the  population 
of  the  cit}'  to  be  (34,205;  William  Cross,  secretary  of  state 
and  the  democratic  nominee  for  state  auditor,  died  on  August 
3,  the  day  after  his  nomiuatinn,  and  after  a  long  illness; 
on  September  (i,  A.  W.  ^IcKeand  resigned  as  secretary  of  the 
Chamber  of  Conunerce.  and  as  a  tnken  of  the  Chamljcr's 
esteem,  was  presented  with  a  gold  watch  by  C.  IT.  Russell, 
acting  for  President  15r<.cl^  in  tlie  latter's  absence:  the  cdrnc]' 
st(»ne  of  the  l-'irst  Presl)yterian  ( 'luu'ch  was  laid  on  Septeml)er 
25,  Dr.  Phil  ('.  r.aird.  pastor,  being  assisted  l)y  Dr.  Carter 
Helm  Jones,  the  Rev.  W.  H.  B.  Vrch.  the  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
Harper  and  the  Ri^v.  J.  H.  O.  Smitli.  pastors  of  otlier  leading 
churches  of  the  city;  Mayor  Scales  resigned  (,n  October  17  and 
Daniel  V.  Lackey,  president  of  the  council,  succeeded  t<t  the 
mayoralty  seat;  on  Xo\-euil»ei'  ."-!,  the  new  directoi-s  of  tlie 
Oklahoma  State  Fair  Association  elected  John  Fields,  editor 
of  The  Oklahoma  Farmer,  ]uvsi(lent.  aii.l  Henry  Overholsei'. 
general  manager. 


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344  Tin-]  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

AVilliaiii  Mackliu  Cross  (popularly  called  Bill  Cross)  was 
born  at  Purdy,  MeXeary  County,  Tenu.,  July  4,  18-t7.  At  the 
age  of  fourteen  lie  entered  the  Confederate  military  service 
as  a  drunuuer  in  Company  K,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth 
Tennessee  Keginient,  of  which  his  father  (who  was  kilh'd  in 
action  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh )  was  colonel.  Young  Cross  was 
Avounded  and  captured  the  same  day  his  father  was  killed.  lie 
was  subsequently  exchanged  and  returned  to  the  front,  serv- 
ing in  the  arm\-  ()f  Gen.  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  After  the  end 
of  the  war  he  entered  Kentucky  University,  at  Lexingfou. 
but  only  remained  one  year  on  account  of  the  financial  condi- 
tion of  the  family.  He  entered  a  dry  g(iods  store  and  event- 
ually became  a  traveling  salesman,  in  which  capacity  he  came 
to  Oklahoma.  He  was  nominated  for  delegate  to  Congress  in 
]902,  but  was  defeated.  He  Avas  nominated  as  the  democratic 
candidate  for  secretary  of  state  and  was  elected  in  Septem- 
ber, ]907,  when  the  constitution  was  ratified.  He  died  August 
4,  1910.— Thoburn. 


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]9n— A  ("ITARTKK  AnOPTEl) 

The  fate  that  uthi-r  charters  met  was  an  iiiii)urtant  yiiide 
to  the  freeholders  who  wrote  that  which  was  adojtted  on 
March  9  this  year.  Also  the  charter  was  more  modern  than 
those  that  failed.  The  American  who  isn't  modern  is  a  non- 
entity as  Americanism  appraises  him,  and  Ijy  the  same  token 
to  affect  to  be  an  Oklahomau  without  beinj;'  a  booster  was 
affectation  only.  Perhaps  the  charter  was  a  great  improve- 
ment over  its  deceased  predecessors,  and  probably  it  was  as 
good  and  as  modern  and  as  ideal  as  any  written  for  any 
other  city  of  tlie  Nation.  The  cam])aign  was  ))almy,  the  < 'impo- 
sition mild.  The  hardest  tight  came  after  its  approval  on 
^larch  11  by  Gov.  Lee  Cruee.  The  governor  signed  it  with 
a  gold  pen  jjreseuted  to  him  by  ^Nliss  Amelia  E.  "Weaver,  daugh- 
ter of  Claude  "Weaver,  one  of  the  authors  of  the  new  nnmici- 
pal  constitution. 

Xominations  for  nuuiicipal  offices  were  made  in  a  primary 
held  AjDril  11.  The  democratic  uoniinee  for  mayor  was  "Whit 
M.  Grant,  who  was  elected  at  the  regular  election  on  ^lay  9, 
and  the  re])ublieau  nominee  was  J.  F.  Warren.  J.  T.  Highley, 
democi'at,  defeated  C.  "W.  Ford,  republican,  for  commissioner 
of  public  safety.  Guy  E.  Blackwelder,  republican,  defeated 
John  S.  Alexander,  democrat,  for  commissioner  of  public 
works,  ^y.  IT.  Hami)ton,  democrat,  defeated  Will  IT.  Clark, 
i'e]niblican,  for  commissioner  of  public  property.  Elmer  C. 
Trueblood,  democrat,  defeated  Thomas  H.  Harper,  repub- 
lican, for  commissioner  of  accounting  and  finance.  In  the 
])rimary  election  ^Ir.  Grant  defeated  Henry  ^I.  Scales.  John 
L.  ]\Iitch,  Dan  V.  Lackey  and  Ross  X.  Lillard  for  the  nomi- 
nation. 

Immediately  after  the  election  the  city  council  |>assed  a 
resolution  with  a  majority  <if  six  votes  holding  that  the  elec- 
tion was  illegal  and  void.      .V  case  was  prepared  for  court  '  [; 
and   in  the  j>etition   it  was  contended  that  the  charter  was        ■"'' 
34.J 


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346  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

illegal  ami  void  l)ccause  no  iirovisiun  had  been  made  in  tlie 
constitution  for  nueli  an  instrument  of  government,  because 
of  imjjroper  division  of  the  city  into  wards,  because  tlie  charter 
provided  no  specified  time  at  which  officials  elected  under  it 
should  take  office,  and  for  other  reasons  of  less  consequence. 
On  May  30  Judge  E.  D.  Oldtield  sustained  a  motion  of  the 
new  officials  for  a  writ  of  mandanms  against  the  old.  .\mon,u 
the  early  appointments  made  by  ^layor  Orant  was  tiiat  of 
William  Tighlnian,  formerly  of  Chandler,  formerly  a  state 
senator,  and  wIk)  in  territorial  days  had  Ijeen  a  noted  law  en- 
forcement officer,  as  chief  of  police.  Another  was  of  J.  C. 
-Eagen  as  city  treasurer  to  succeed  P.  H.  Simmons,  resigned. 
Among  unusual  things  undertalvcn  l)y  the  commissioners  dur- 
ing the  year  was  to  attempt  to  get  a  water  supply  from  deep 
wells.  It  contracted  with  the  Western  AVells  Company  of 
Kansas  to  furnish  5,000,000  gallons  of  well  water  daily  to 
be  paid  for  at  the  rate  of  2  cents  a  1,000  gallons. 

On  May  29  of  this  year  the  United  States  Supreme  Court 
said  the  last  word  in  the  capital  controversy,  and  it  was  an 
important  word  for  the  doctrine  of  state  rights.  The  opinion, 
written  by  Justice  Lorton,  held  in  suljstance  that  Congress 
was  without  authority  to  locate  a  capital  for  the  new  state 
for  a  term  of  years,  that  to  undertake  to  do  so  was  to  deny 
the  state  its  constitutional  privilege  of  entering  the  Union  on 
an  equal  footing  with  the  other  states.  "When  equality  dis- 
appears," said  the  opinion,  "wc  may  remain  a  free  people, 
but  the  union  will  not  be  the  union  of  the  constitution." 

Guthrie's  ])rotest  against  the  removal  of  state  offic-es  to 
Oklahoma  (~'ity  on  December  30,  1910,  caused  the  foregather- 
ing of  a  niob  that  threatened  violence  and  Governor  Haskell 
ordered  troojis  held  in  readiness  for  service  should  they  bo 
needed.  An  injunction  issued  out  of  the  District  Court  at 
Guthrie  was  served  against  State  Treasurer  James  A.  ]\lenefee 
and  Avhcn  wagons  began  loading  furniture  out  of  his  office  he 
was  cited  for  contonq.t  of  court.  W.  A.  T^edbctter  went  to 
Guthrie  as  an  emissai'y  of  the  governor  and  helped  to  restore 
]K'ac(\  The  injunction  did  not  hold  and  on  the  following 
day  twenty-five  tons  of  state  furniture  and  records  were  moved 
to  Oklahoma  City. 

The  Ueuislature  convened  on  .Tanuar\-  2  and  W.  A.  Diirant 


•  "-'lii. 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  349 

of  Duraiit  was  elected  speakei-  (if  the  Iloiise  aii<l  .J.  Kliner 
Thdiuas  of  Lawton.  })i'esi(lent  in-o  teiu})()re  of  the  Senate.  On 
January  9  Lee  Cruce  was  inaugurated  governor.  The  Senate 
on  January  2S  jiassed  a  hill  aljnlishin^-  the  Capitol  Conunission 
but  the  bill  was  not  passed  by  the  House.  Some  doubt  ex- 
isted as  to  the  validity  of  the  call  issued  by  Governor  Haskell 
in  the  previous  year  for  an  extraordinary  session  of  the  Leg- 
islature and  a  resolution  was  passed  l)y  this  i^egislature  vali- 
dating the  call  and  the  actions  of  the  former  body.  The  State 
Supreme  Court  on  February  9  rendered  an  opinion,  written 
by  Justice  E.  L.  Williams,  to  which  Justices  Kane  and  Dunn 
dissented,  holding-  that  the  capital  location  provision  of  the 
Enaljling  Act  was  imconstitutioual,  and  it  Avas  this  opinion 
tliat  was  affirmed  by  the  L'nited  States  Sujireme  Court.  Ar- 
guments befcire  the  latter  were  made  for  Oklahoma  City  by 
Attorney  General  Charles  West,  Judge  B.  F.  Burwell  of  Okla- 
homa City  and  former  Senatm-  J.  AY.  Bailey  of  Texas.  Guth- 
rie was  represented  by  Judge  Frank  Dale. 

Governor  Cruce,  who  favored  and  practiced  the  strictest 
economy  in  government,  on  June  20,  asked  for  the  I'esignatiou 
of  members  of  the  Capitol  Commission,  and  in  due  time  he 
appointed  members  of  the  State  Board  of  Public  Affairs  to 
succeed  them. 

The  Capitol  Building  Com]-»any,  representing  the  city,  had 
agreed  to  pay  $L000.000  to  the  state  as  a  capitol  building 
fund,  and  the  first  payment.  $25,000.  was  to  be  made  July  1. 
Homer  S.  Hurst,  a  member  of  the  couiitany,  proposed  shortly 
before  the  i)ayment  (d'  this  amount  was  due  that  the  city 
issue  bonds  in  the  sum  of  .-si, 20(1.(100  to  l)e  delivei'ed  to  the 
state.  The  constutitionality  of  sucli  iiroccdurc  was  doubted, 
however,  and  the  comiiany  on  June  29  coucluded  to  issue  fifty 
$500  notes  to  raise  the  amount  due  on  July  L  The  eonii)any 
had  title  to  lands  donated  and  l)ought  for  capitol  imrposes 
but  to  get  the  money  was  at  that  time  a  difficult  matter,  so 
it  proi)osed,  through  Ed  S.  Vanght.  its  spokesman,  to  Gov- 
ernor Cruce.  that  (500  aci'es  and  an  additional  fifteen  acres 
reserved  for  the  capitol  lie  delivere(l  to  the  state  in  lieu  (jf 
the  $1,000,000.  G..vernur  Ci'uee  declined  to  arcept  the  jiro])- 
osition,  holding  that  onlv  tin-  Legislature  had  authority  to 
altei'  contracts  made  with  the  state  under  authoritv  (d'  the 


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:i.i-    -.,:i    lit: 


350  THE  STORY  OF  (M^LAIIO.MA   CITY 

Legislature.  Later  in  the  year  the  <-iinipa]iy.  which  had  exe- 
cuted a  huiid  (if  .i^lOO.OOO  as  a  guarantee  of  payment  of  instal- 
ments of  tlie  sl.OOU.OOO,  again  pr.. posed  to  the  governor  to 
deliver  to  the  state  (i.tK'.O  acres  of  land  and  pay  the  forfeiture 
of  the  bond,  retaining  twenty  acies  to  he  sold  l)y  the  company 
to  reiniliursc  it  for  the  houd  forfeitui'c  outlay,  ami  there  the 
matter  resti-d  at  the  end  of  the  yeai-. 

Outside  of  his  own  office  force,  the  first  appointment  an- 
nuuneed  by  the  governtu'  was  that  (d'  John  R.  AVilliams,  who 
had  been  his  campaign  managu'r,  as  secretary  <d'  the  ('onnnis- 
siuuers  of  the  Land  Office,  and  the  appointment  was  in  due 
time  confirmed  by  the  connnissioners.  He  appointed  Judge 
Frank  :\Iattliews  of  Altus.  E.  B.  Howard  of  Tulsa  and  E.  E. 
Morris  of  Duncan  as  members  of  the  State  Boai'd  of  Public 
Affairs,  Judge  ^lattliews  resigned  soon  to  accei)t  a  judicial 
appointment  and  Lon  ^L  Frame  of  Ardmore.  who  had  been 
named  game  and  fisli  warden,  filled  the  vacaney.  John  B.  Doii- 
lin  of  Alva,  who  had  lieen  assistant  manager  of  the  Cruee 
campaign,  was  ajipointed  to  the  ])osition  vacated  by  Frame. 
The  a])poir.tnicnt  of  Morris  as  the  re])Td)lican  mendter  of  the 
boai'd  was  stoutly  (lisap]iro\-ed  by  members  of  the  re}iublican 
state  organization  who  had  recommended  O.  K.  Benedict  of 
Hobart  foi'  the  place.  Among  v:\v\y  a])]iointments  was  that 
iif  J.  F.  Warren  of  Oklahoma  City  as  a  member  of  the  board 
of  regents  of  the  State  Universitx'  and  J.  V.  Sharp  nf  Purcell 
as  chairman  of  the  board  of  control  of  the  Boys'  Training 
School  at  Pauls  Valley.  J.  I).  Lankford  of  Atoka  was  ap- 
pointed state  l)ank  coumiis^iouer  and  J.  <"'.  McClelland  and 
Fred  (!.  Dennis  members  of  the  state  baid-;ing  boaid.  The 
Cruce  state  election  I)oard  consisted  (d'  Ih'U  AV.  Piley  of  El 
Peno,  former  (loA-eruoi-  T.  B.  Ferguson  nf  AVatonga  an<l  C. 
C.  Pei:n  of  Weathei  ford.  I'nch'i'  an  act  of  the  T^egislatuiv  (d' 
that  year  ci-eatinu  a  Supreme  Court  Counnis-iou,  the  LiiiverniU' 
ap]M.inted  C.  15.  Ames,  Phil  I).  Brewer  and  John  B.  Harrison 
mendiers(d' the  commission.  His  statt'  board  of  education  con- 
sisted (d'  City  Superintendent  Bi-andenburg  <d' Oklahoma  City. 
^y.  E.  Powsey  of  Muskogee.  O.  F.  TLincs  of  ('handler,  Scott 
niemi  of  Shawnee.  K'obert  Dunloji  id'  Xewkiik.  then  state 
tieasurer.  and  Dr.  A.  C.  Scott  -d'  Oklahoma  City. 

Dr.  Alexander  Potter  of  X.'w  York  was  emi.loved  durin- 


Yjn.i;-  ;iirr 


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•'.  «^\    !BS«=r«^   '^-^n^J^    y,:-^.-»^»3      |,        -,   ^ 
i«a«S\   lia-««-^V'   js?=^»-*I    i'*-»«.-->«y      Ij  __:/  -;■;}- 


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'\'- 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  353 

the  pioccdiiii;-  yeiw  to  iiuike  a  survey  and  recuuuiiendatioiis 
fur  a  pcrniaiu'iit  and  increased  water  su}»})ly  fur  the  eity. 
After  liis  repnit  was  suhniitted  the  niayur  called  an  electidii 
to  be  held  Feln'uary  14.  this  year.  t()  \nte  on  a  }iro}Mised  issue 
totalling  .tl,(i5U,()()().  part  of  which  was  to  he  used  in  main  ex- 
tensions for  water  and  sewer  extensions  to  Pai-kin^town.  Diu'- 
ing  a  cam2:)aign  rally  the  night  Ijefoic  the  election,  when  Kate 
Barnard  was  making  a  .speech  opposing  the  issue.  Doctiu'  Pot- 
ter, who  interrupted  her — insolently,  some  of  her  friends  .said 
— was  ejected  forcibly  from  the  hall.    The  issue  was  defeated. 

Some  important  bank  changes  took  i>laee  this  year.  On 
January  21  Henry  W.  "Williams,  late  of  Greenville,  Texas, 
Don  Lacy  of  Ardmore  and  W.  ^I.  Bonner  of  Ardmore,  ]tur- 
chased  a  controlling  interest  in  the  Oklahoma  City  National 
Bank.  On  February  25  this  bank  absorbed  the  Central  Re- 
serve Bank  and  new  officers  were  elected  as  follows :  H.  W. 
Williams,  president;  A.  ^i.  Young,  vicc^  president;  C.  H. 
Everest,  vice  president,  and  AV.  M.  Boniier,  assistant  cashier. 
E.  B.  Cockrell  retired  from  the  organization  to  become  presi- 
dent of  the  Continental  Trust  Company  which  was  organized 
a  few  weeks  later  with  a  capital  stock  of  $500,000.  On  May 
19  the  Oklahoma  City  Xational  Bank  was  consolidated  with 
the  State  Xational  Bank,  with  Mr.  AVilliams  as  president, 
John  M.  Hale,  C.  H.  Everest  and  Don  Lacy  as  vice  presi- 
dents, fieorge  L.  Cooke,  cashier,  AV.  M.  l)onner,  Pat  Roden. 
Hcm-y  Elliott  and  F.  C.  Clarke,  assistant  <-ashiers.  and  Ed- 
ward H.  Cooke,  chairman  of  the  Itoard.  All  banks  of  the 
city  at  the  begiiming  of  the  year  had  aliout  .•>1(1000,000  on 
deposit. 

C.  CI.  Jones,  whom  many  aci-ounted  the  must  useful  resi- 
dent of  the  city,  died  on  :\larch  'JO.  at  the  age  of  fifty-five. 
His  funeral  on  starch  31  was  the  most  largely  attended  of  any 
in  the  history  of  the  state.  ()rations  were  delivered  by  Dr. 
G.  H.  Bradford  and  the  Rev.  A.  K.  Riley  and  the  ceremony 
of  the  ]\Iasons,  of  whose  lodge  he  was  a  niemlier,  was  em- 
ployed. In  the  yard  of  his  I'esideuce  a  flag  that  he  had 
raised,  a  flag  at  the  state  housi'  and  one  at  the  ?*lorris  ]  lacking 
plant  were  hung  at  half  mast.  In  honor  of  his  memory  Cu>y~ 
crnor  Cruce  issued  a  ])ro.-lamation  rci|Ui'stiiig  that  all  state 
offices  ])e  closed.     The  Imsiness  of  the  Fnited  States  Circuit 


<r 

)  ,v  I  "/■■.).. 

11             J>.ll     M.i 

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.   -Ibt]  .('l»l.^ 

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/        .-:  -,•!!<;  1.-. 

rt-v;  •-!'!      .lir!'i'>'f  ■>■,♦   ']([;•'■;»■'  (vdv'^i't  ^'itv/-— 

,-.;•    ■''.        .■     '      .     '        ,'  .',''    -■■■.'!'  [-    ■    r...::t«r. 

M  :;■  .-  ,.-!,'..-■:--,,>  ,.^  :  ;:■.(!;'..  i;  .■^.:.-  '   ;{  :A 

.-..,■        '      ;  :  ;     '         ■    "  .    ••          \-'   ■■    :_.■■    ;:    :!;,(  '    •  il- \    Of 


■  ;:.  ,1    .  ~\f.  r. 

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]-;■,;!    .!!    .!> 

-  'i-.v     j..    .;..;. 

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I  M-ir//   h.'iJ'j 

354  Tin-:  STOKV   OF  OKLAHUMA   (  ITY 

Court,  of  tile  District  (?onrt  and  of  the  r<>iuity  Court  was 
suspended.  The  State  National  Bank,  of  which  lie  was  a 
dii'ector,  and  many  Ijusiness  houses  closed  their  doors.  The 
Ki^hty-niiiei's  Association  held  a  s}»ecial  nieetinii,  and  adopted 
resdlntions  and  went  in  a  hody  to  the  Jones  home  l)efoi-c  the 
funeral  and  hd't  generous  tioral  wreaths  and  shed  tears  of 
-enuine  s(U-rMW.  Palll>eaiers  were  K.  II.  Cooke.  C.  F.  Col- 
cord,  (A  A.  MitM-her,  W.  T.  Hales,  W.  J.  Pettee  and  II.  C. 
.Mihier. 

The  Oklahoma  Railway  ( 'onipany  ran  its  first  interurhan 
car  into  El  Keno  on  Xovenilier  :]0.  It  hore  all  leading-  officials 
of  the  company  and  a  score  of  their  guests.  (Jeorge  ^^^  Knox, 
111,  eight-year-old  son  of  Ceorge  AV.  l\]iox,  Jr.,  geneial  inan- 
agei-  (d'  the  com])any,  turned  on  the  power  that  sent  the  car 
whin-ing  into  the  west.  F.  ^I.  Banks  was  the  car's  conductor 
and  J>awren(H'  Paulson  was  the  motornian.  The  party  was 
entertained  at  El  Reno  with  a  banquet.    It  was  welcomed  in  f 

a  speech  delivered  by  :\layor  P.  P.   Duffy,  to  which  0.   P.  \ 

A\'orknian,  pr<'sident  of  the  Oklahoma  City  Chamber  of  Com-  \ 

merce.  i'es]»onded.    Other  speeches  were  made  by  R.  E.  Staf-  j 

foi'd,  John  Shartel  and  St^yniour  ITcynian.  j 

A  l)onus  (d'  •fTo.OUO  was  raised  by  tlu'  Cliaml)er  of  Com-  |,- 

nierce  to  secure  a  line  of  the  Missouri,  Oklahoma  &  Culf  Rail-  I 

way  Comiian)-,  but  the  ci>nipany's  plans  failed  to  materialize.  \ 

Walter  B.  Aluore  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  succeeded  J.  IT.  Johnston  '■ 

as  .secretary-manager  (d'  the  Chamber  on  November  1.     The  ! 

resignation  of  Mr.  Johnston  was  subuntted  several  months 
belorc.  So  satisfactorily  had  he  ])erforuied  the  duties  of  the 
ofiice  that  a  committee  sought  to  have  him  withdraw  the  resig- 
nation. At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Chamber  in  December 
Frank  J.  AVik(dr  was  •■lected  president:  C.  V.  Colcord.  tirst 
vice  jiresideiit;  Leon  Le\y.  second  vice  pi-esidi-nt,  and  CmHu 
Campbell,  ticasiirer.  Seymour  ireyman.  a  former  president, 
was  on  December  o  elected  president  of  the  board  of  e<luca- 
tion,  succeeding  \V.  P.  Swartout,  I'csigned.  and  his  election 
I'cstored  hai-uioiiy  in  the  board  that  had  for  some  months  been 
engaged  in  a  wrangle. 

The  city's  second  big  pai-kiug  ])lant  was  o](ened  formall>'  on 
October  0.  President  AVorkman  of  the  Chamber  of  ( 'omuKMve 
was  the  mastei'  of  ceremonit'S  and  the  jtrincipal  sjieech  was 


. -.  i   ,,  -  '      .!(:• 


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,'^'  "•  ;  .  ]■ 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  357  l 

made  l)y  (loxenior  Crucc.  Jack  Love,  eliairniaii  of  the  ci;>i-po- 
ratiiin  eominissioii,  killed  the  first  euw.  Jt  was  estimated  that 
10,000  persons  passed  throuuh  tlic  ])laiit  that  day. 

Owing-  to  disa,^■l■eements  lictwccii  the  northern  and  sonth- 
ern  branches  of  the  Methodist  ('hiii<-h  and  to  luitoward  finan- 
cial conditions  resijeeting  tlu'  instituti<iii.  it  was  decided  at 
the  close  of  the  school  year  that  Epworth  L'niversity  should 
be  abandoned.  The  northern  ])raneh  of  the  church  concluded 
to  transfer  its  interests  to  Guthrie  and  consolidate  them  with 
a  Methodist  College.    A  few  weeks  later  representatives  of  [, 

the  southern  branch  aimounced  tliat  the  university  would  be  ■ 

continued.  A  new^  board  of  trustees  was  elected,  consisting 
of  Dr.  ^y.  B.  AVatkins,  president,  W.  A.  8helton,  secretary, 
C.  H.  McGee,  treasurer,  the  Kev.  11.  E.  ]..  Alorgan,  B.  F. 
Moscley,  the  Rev.  M.  L.  Butler,  the  Rev.  ^loss  Weaver,  the  : 

Rev.  0.  F.  Sensabaugh,  and  the  Rev.  J.  AL.  Gross.  Difficul- 
ties soon  confronted  the  new  ])oai'(l.  howcvci',  and  the  institu- 
tion remained  closed. 

One  illustration  among  many  of  the  increase  in  real  estate 
values  in  the  city  was  related  this  year.  J.  ]M.  Bowen,  who 
filed  on  a  homestead  at  the  time  of  the  oitening — a  tract  of  ^ 

160  acres  now  bounded  by  tlie  Santa   h'e  on  tlie  east  and  ? 

Walker  Aa'cuuc  on  the  west  and  Tenth  Street  on  the  south  i 

and  Thirteenth  Street  on  the  noith — found  his  rights  con-  5. 

tested.    William  J.  JNIcClure.  who  proxided  tlie  funds  to  prose-  "  5 

cute  the  contest,  and  Judge  Fivink  Dale  of  (iiithrie.  wlio  pro-  •  i: 

vided  the  legal  wherewithal,  succeeded  in  winning  the  contest  [ 

and  for  their  services  were  given  on(>-lialf  of  the  tract.    They  \ 

divided  the  eighty  acres,  AlcChire  taking  the  east  half  of  it  '• 

and  Judge  Dale  th(>  west  half.     'I'he  Dale  sluire  lay  I)etween  '         ,; 

FCarvey  and  A\'alker  Avenues.     It  is  not  o|'  record  easily  ac-  '. 

cessible  liow  nnich  money  ]\[c(''liire  received  out  of  the  lots  he  ^ 

.sold,  ])ut  Ju<lge  Dale's  receipts  amounted  to  .■r2.y),0()0.     Four  [ 

of  the  city's  leading  chnri-li<'s.  wirli  jn'oprrty  values  totalling     '  i 

over  ^^od.OOO,  are  (.n  Dale  lots. 

The  interests  of  the  DioiL^er  Telephoi,,.  Coinpany  and  the  'I 

Alissouri  i!c  Kansas  Telephone  Cuiiipaiiy  were  nier-ed  .Ma\  1, 
and  v..  D.  Xinis.  president  of  the  t'orniei-.  retired  fi-.ini  that 
office.  Among  dii'ect..rs  i-etaiiied  weiv  Mr.  Xims.  John  M. 
Xol)le.  who  was  eh'cted  uciiei'a!   manager.    !•:.    K.  Westerfelt. 


'1 ) ;  /  ■ 


<h  '  ..j-'     ■:"   '':  '■  ■  ■'!?•'-  •■'^:''  .■/  O'^ol')  yil; 

.      .        ;  .     -  .  ,i  .;;,   ■  .   '^     ■  -  -  1^  ..t!'!      J-  .,'..S(!j;vi:  ■;;( 

.      '^      ,.    .  '    ,.,  M    '   ■       -  ;  :■       .-.-■  ,;■''  v;,    .-y.v-, .,;■(;  Mj 

^  :     p  1    nr      .  .1  1, ,•  ...  W.u',...  ii..iH;i,.;    -iiij 

:     ■        ■        ^    ■■     -.r  ■       '  ^    ■   :    ■-.     ;r.  ..     /_        f,,-,;..   ;!u<r, 

-.    ,  ,.  ■-       /-  .■'■•    ■,  ■  -,.  "   ;'    /r  .it!  1.. 

.,     ,.  w    .  ,     .  :.i    ■  .;     ^,       :   -i;-^    ■,•,,1.,!/  .ii  ,:) 

,      ■     -,-■.'■  \:    '.  .      ,  I,.  '1  -,    ,:-,l_;-'i-.\C 

<     ..  •    ..  ■■    ..    1     '   '.'       ■    ,,        '   :..K.i::-.<  ,;•:  .■!'    n  .  .•.,^r 

,    ,     ■,,     ,        -      -      .■,      •  :         :   ;.    'i:..-;!...,,  ^m^  ,;  .,.,•) 

:•       ,  ■.:./;  v;i-     V  :i    ■:;   ^.-iufirr 

■      -  i  -  .  ..'■>:;''  '    ■./■■:      ■■!'.!    'Kij; 

'        ■  ■     ..  ^  .   .  ,   ^    -    .1  -.m;;!!;';'     .lr,J-,:i 

:  '  '   '  -.•,.;:':         •.:':;>,,:.  ,'■■-,;;■  .   j'.l]  ot;".. 

:       ,  ,  ..       ■■  ,  --  .:■'  .  ;-    ,■  ■■'!■»  'L'/*  fitn; 

'      ■'.  .'.^..:    :      ''    "11    ilw'  i  '■   ii,i !.  bnu 

■      ;  ■     ■/    •,  .  I!';-//    K:,;    /•'•'■full 

■'".,    ...    ::-.        i     ■■      '    ■■    ■      ,    ...    -i'      ■     -   ■■         ■■>;•,!  I       iL:SM'l.    ;n.i    J)!.!,- 


358  THE  STOKV  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITV 

who  was  elected  secivtan'-treasurer,  David  ^IcKiiistry  and 
Henry  A-sp.  The  new  oruanizatinii  had  assets  of  the  vahie  of 
$40,o6o,()(JU. 

Other  events  of  the  year  ini-hi(h'(l  a  strike  of  eniphpyes  of 
the  Okhihonia  Railway  Cnnijiany  that  was  settled  after  a 
few  days  of  excitinu  ni()\es.  iiicludinLi'  an  orcU'i'  frnin  the 
governor  for  troops  to  he  in  readiness  for  ser\-ice,  the  re- 
scinding- of  tlie  oi(h'r  and  an  agreement  l)et\\ecn  olficials  and 
employes;  dedication  of  tlie  high  school  on  Alarcli  :;  with 
ceremonies  ]iartici])ated  in  l>y  Clovernor  <  "rnci'.  Picsident 
"Workman  of  the  Chamlter  of  ( "onunerce.  Dr.  A.  (irant  l']\"ans. 
president  of  the  State  Uni\eisity.  City  Superinten(h'nt  W. 
H.  Brandenhurg,  Ed  S.  \'aught.  the  Rev.  Thomas  II.  Harper 
and  B.  F.  Xihart,  a  pioneer  teacher;  annonncement  id'  the 
Oklahoma  Ivailway  Com.pany  on  Apiil  10  that  it  had  Hoated 
a  hond  issue  of  ^12.000.000  preparatory  to  completing  inter- 
nrhan  lii:es  to  Kl  Reno,  rinthrie  and  Norman;  celehration  of 
the  Ojiening  on  April  '2'2  with  a  fiesta  parade,  snnliar  to  that 
of  the  preceding  year,  in  which  Rnsscdl  Pryor  was  Rex 
Aprillis  and  :^Iiss '^lildred  McXal.h  Aprillis  La  Reine;  the 
graduation  of  103  students  from  the  high  school;  the  resig- 
nation of  Paul  M.  Po]ie  as  a  memher  of  the  city  park  hoard; 
the  pnrchase  hy  J.  ]..  Wilkin  (d^  the  Xight  l^-  Day  Bank:  the 
resignation  of  Dr.  A.  Tirant  Evans  as  president  of  the  State 
Univeisity  and  the  eh^-tion  nf  Dean  J.  C  ^lonett  as  acting 
president;  the  hegimnng  of  the  radiation  (d'  a  goiid  roads 
sentiment  o\-ei'  the  state  in^pii-ed  l)y  T'ol.  Sidney  Suggs,  state 
highwav  couinii--sioncr ;  and  the  election  of  Dr.  T'liarles  Evans 
as  ))i-esideiit  <d'  the  ( 'entral  State  Xoimal  School  at  Ednioid. 


1912— A  FKillT  AOAIXST  EXPKNSES 

A  laiigli;il)k'  sitiiatinn  arose  oiict-  when  i>ii  tlie  same  day  it 
was  amioiuieed  that  the  Legiskiture  was  coiiuiiu  (hiwii  from 
Guthrie  as  L^iiests  of  the  Okkihoina  City  Chaiiiher  of  Com- 
merce, the  cliief  of  poliee  issued' an  edict  forl)i(Uiinii-  the 
operation  of  I)ootIe,u-,uini;-  joints.  The  pulilic  was  no  more 
chagrined  hy  tlie  officers'  revelation  (»f  the  existence  of  open 
violation  of  tlie  i)roliihition  law  than  was  the  hody  of  statute 
btiiklers  against  whose  motives  the  child'  (d'  p<dice  had  slung 
a  slur. 

And  somehow  it  is  just  as  anuising.  viewed  through  the 
per.spective  of  a  decade,  ti»  witness  tiie  serious  faces  of  a 
few  of  the  city's  conunercial  stalwarts,  who — the  i)ackeries 
and  the  capital  having  been  obtained  and  the  city's  population 
increased  to  -30,000  and  the  taxable  wealth  ])ioportionately  in- 
creased— met  with  a  peck  of  trouble  for  a  sidjject  and  set  al)0itt 
constructing  schemes  to  cut  expenses!  They  were  in  dead 
earnest.  The  subject  seemed  to  rcijuire  inuueiliate  consid- 
eration. Xo  less  a  iiersonai^c  than  the  -overnor  had  said  that 
if  the  state,  the  comity  and  the  municijiality  didn't  cease  bur- 
dening them<el\-es  with  tlebt.  the>-  woidd  l)ankrui>t  the  state. 

Froin  that  meiding  resulteil  the  ('itizens  Protective 
League,  the  primary  ol)ject  nf  which  was  to  curb  t'\[)enses 
and  teach  ec(moniy  in  u(i\-ernment.  ('liarles  !•'.  Colcord  was 
elected  president  and  ().  P.  Workman,  secretary.  Other  direc- 
tors were  Josepli  Iluckins.  .1.  M.  jJass.  (i.  <).  Snhlbei-:;-.  Leon 
Levy,  E.  II.  Cooke,  .1.  .M.  Owen  and  S.  .M.  (Uoy.l  It  found 
a  great  many  people  nf  like  mind  on  this  subject  and  its 
UH'mbership  ui-cw  ahunst  as  i-ajiidly  as  a  list  <d'  names  on  a 
])etition  askini;-  for  a  cunstitutional  aun'udment.  that  is  to  say. 
with  extraoi(linai-y  I'apidit)'.  In  a  short  time  the  leanue  had 
LOOO  members  in  Oklalmma  Cnunty.  ^^M)  members  in  (lar- 
ti«'ld  County  and  -IdO  lucml.crs  cacli  in  Wa'^hinutMii  and  Creek 
counties.     Agents  of  tlie  league,  all  id"  them   I'epivsentative 


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I    Ki    'III  .;;/. 


360  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY 

l)usiness  lucn  of  the  city,  became  foreign  missionaries  and 
traveled  into  all  jjopnlous  regions  of  the  state,  preaching  the 
doctrine  of  seeking  tirst  the  kingdom  of  economy. 

The  league  was  organized  in  March.  Its  first  statewide 
meeting  was  held  in  Oklahoma  City  on  June  19  and  20,  and 
it  was  attended  by  200  members  representing  pr(il)ably  a  srovc 
of  counties.  It  was  at  this  meeting  that  Oov('rn<:)r  (Jruce 
l)]'opounded  the  doctrine  of  economy  in  state  government.  The 
delegates  supported  almost  unanimously  a  jdan  pi-ojected 
by  the  directors  to  initiate  two  proposed  amendments  to  the 
constitution.  One  was  to  provide  that  the  tax  Ihnit  should 
be  12  mills,  of  which  1  mill  should  be  for  state  purposes.  The 
other  proposed  a  connnission  form  of  government  for  coun- 
ties, the  governing  board  to  consist  of  three  conunissioners 
and  a  judge.  A  committee  to  draft  the  bills  consisted  of 
Judge  B.  F.  Burwell,  Judge  J.  R.  Keaton  and  Henry  G. 
Snyder.  AVhether  or  not  the  bills  were  drawn  is  nctt  a  matter 
of  vital  concern,  for  one  month  later  officials  of  the  league 
aimoimced  that,  owing  to  the  time  before  the  Xovember  elec- 
tion being  too  short  in  which  to  circulate  petitions,  the  league 
had  concluded  to  forego  initiation  of  the  measures,  but  that 
its  officers  would  I)e  employed  in  influencing  so  far  as  possi- 
ble the  cariying  out  of  its  ideas  of  economy. 

The  last  word  had  not  by  any  means  Iteen  said  on  the 
capital  matter,  for  Guthrie  in  lier  discontent  was  not  in  the 
least  mollified  by  the  decision  of  the  United  States  Supreme 
Court.  She  came  back  with  the  streng-th  of  a  new  organiza- 
tion and  asked  the  governor  to  call  anntlier  election  that 
she  miulit  lia\e  it  (Uit  Avith  Oklahoma  T'ity  single-handed  and 
alone.  The  petition  liled  Avith  the  secretary  of  state  con- 
tained o\cr  :)().000  names.  Of  these  nearly  o.lKK^  were  ol)- 
tained  in  Logan  ( 'ounty  and  a  majority  of  them  were  obtained 
in  Logan,  Pottawotamie,  Tulsa.  Garfield  and  Payne  counties. 
Oklalu.nia  ( 'ounty  itself  sup]>lied  ovei-  two  hundred.  The  pe- 
tition was  ]ireseiited  l)y  TI.  T.  Swearingeii.  chairuian  of  the 
Guthrie  committee,  and  Fred  T>.  A\'ennei-.  seci'etai'y.  <!overnor 
Cruce  in  due  time  issued  a  i»ro(damatioii  calling  for  an  elec- 
tion on  November  o.  Tlic  campaign  was  waged  a-<  diligently, 
but  less  specta.-nlai'ly.  than  that  (d'  1D10  and  the  Oklahoma 
Citv   or-anizati.ui   exi.onded   about   .^M.OOO.   ,,[•  a    little   less 


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TIIK  STOKY  UF  OKLAHO-MA   C  ITV  363 

than  -tl  a  vote  in  the  majority  Huures.  This  ina.joritv',  siuall 
as  it  ai)peaiv(l,  was  imt  (liscdUiaiiiiiu-.  hnwcxci'.  for  over  20,000 
persons  who  vntcil  at  thi'  eh'ctinn  did  nut  x'dtc  on  this  (juestion. 
The  vote  was  decisive  enough  and  it  was  the  siuiial  oL'  (iuth- 
rie's  ultimate  surrender. 

(_ioveriior  Crurc  in  .January  had  rc^ached  an  a,i;reenu-nt 
witli  tlie  Caiiitol  i)uihlinu'  ("onipany  wherehy  he  wouhl  accept 
for  the  state  (i.OoO  acres  of  land  selected  tor  th>e  capitol  and 
$100,000  in  cash  and  release  the  comi.auy  from  ol.li-ation. 
Early  in  Febrnar}-  a  mass  meetinu'  was  held  and  tlu'  t-ity  com- 
mission was  ])i'i-\-ailed  u})on  to  <-alI  an  election  to  suhnnt  a 
bond  issue,  out  of  the  proceeds  (d'  which  the  ( 'ajiitol  l>uildin,u- 
Company  and  the  l-'ackin,^to^\■n  l)e\-eloiiniciit  Company  couUl 
be  relieved  of  eapitol  and  ]iackery  bonus  olil illations.  The 
bonds  in  due  tune  were  authorized  at  an  election  and  sold. 
Ostensibly  they  were  for  jiark  and  ]ilay,uround  juirposes  and 
to  pi'()vide  a  terminal  for  a  ]iro)»osed  lailroad  that  was  to 
eiiter  fiom  the  northwest,  a  ]iroject  that  dohn  Shai'tt'l  took 
an  active  interest  in  and  which  he  hojicd  to  carry  out.  The 
Capit(d  Buildin--  Company  leceived  from  the  ]>oiid  proceeds 
the  needed  $100.(H)i).  The  remainder.  .<!.")( ),()()().  was  distrib- 
uted, $20,000  to  a  couuuittee  (d'  bankers,  actiii-  as  a  board 
of  trustees,  to  be  held  for  use  in  ohlaiinmi  terminals  for  rail- 
roads, $60,000  to  pay  a  niort^a-e  executed  by  the  Packing- 
town  Development  Couiiiany,  and  the  reuiainder  to  comph'te 
a  bonus  pi-omised  the  Schwar/.schihl  tV  Sulzheruer  Packiu.ii' 
Comjiany.  On  May  24  the  Caihtol  I'.nildinu-  Conii>anv  de- 
livered t(»  the  -overnor  a  warrant  for  spio.ooo  and  deeds  and 
abstracts  to  all  tracts  in  the  capitol  ^ift  save  tifty-Hve  acix's 
the  title  to  which  had  to  be  secuied  in  court. 

The  quai'ti-r-section  «d'  land  embracini;  tlii'-  lit'ty-hve  acres 
was  filed  ui>on  as  homestead  on  April  22.  b^S!).  by  the  K'ev. 
Henry  Howe.  Durin-  the  interxcniim  twenty-three  years  tith^ 
to  it  had  been  cloud(>d  !)y  contents  and  the  (Io\-ei-iiment  uexci' 
had  issued  a  patent.  In  the  meantime  the  original  claimant 
had  died.  Two  sous,  1-:.  AV.  llowe  an<l  Dr.  < '.  F.  Tb.w  .d' 
Ati-hison,  Kan.,  never  r(dini|ui>hed  rlieir  claim  as  heirs  <>f 
the  father's  estate.  The  Capitol  Ibiildin-  Conii-anv  reached 
an  a.i;reement  with  the  lieirs  and  the  latest  contestant  whereby 
juduinent  should  lie  taken  in  fa\or  of  the  heirs,  and  wliereby 


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.  i"i  ■     vlp  ^..il'  H«.  mT,      •  .       ,1-,  -nil  Ji:  i)->tu7  . 

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364  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

thcisc,  tile  cimtcstant  and  oflicials  of  tlir  coinpaiiy,  should  have 
a  joint  iiiti'i-est  in  tlic  Jrlowc  l)c\elnpiuenv  i'onipany,  which 
was  organized  with  a  capital  stock  of  .-roOU.OiK).  Titio  in  due 
time  was  pci'fccted  and  the  fifteen  acres  on  wliicli  tlu'  per- 
manent cajtitol  is  located  sjireads  over  u  pare  of  the  historic 
homestead  of  the  preacher. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  loni;-  and  bitter  controversy  the 
governor  had  with  his  state  hoard  of  t'ducation  over  the  ado])- 
tions  of  te.\tl)ooks  for  the  puljlic  schools  ot  the  state  touched 
educational  ait'airs  of  the  city  and  several  representative  men 
of  the  city  before  its  termination  next  year,  some  incidents 
of  the  contioveisy  will  not  be  out  of  place  here. 

(lovernor  Cruce  was  not  pleased  with  a  conclusion  of  the 
board  reached  just  Ijefore  a  tiual  adoption  vtjte  and  he  asked 
that  a  vote  be  deferred.  ^lemljers  of  the  Ijoard  interpreted 
the  request  as  a  reflection  upon  their  judgment  and  integrity 
and  a  majorit}'  expressed  displeasure,  with  the  consequence 
that  the  governor  asked  for  the  resignations  of  Eobert  Dun- 
lop,  W.  A.  Brandenburg,  Scott  Glenn  and  Frank  Ha}-es. 
When  they  refused  to  grant  his  request,  the  executive  issued 
an  order  summarily  removing  them  and  then  reajipointed  -Mr. 
Brandenburg  and  filled  the  other  presumed  vacancies  witli 
Ira  L.  Cain  "of  Muskogee,  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Weith  of  Ardmore 
and  ]).  I.  Johnston  and  J.  F.  Wan-en  of  Oklahoma  City. 
When  members  of  the  oi'iginal  board  sought  relief  in  District 
Judge  Clark's  court  it  was  denied.  On  Xoveinber  IT  the 
matter  was  again  presented  to  Judge  Clark  and  he  gi'anted 
an  order  enjoining  the  new  ijoard  from  action,  saying  that 
he  had  not  l)een  fully  advised  when  the  order  was  juayeil  for 
originally.  Attoi-ney  General  ~\\'est  then  ai»pt'ared  in  Ixdialf 
of  the  governor  and  asked  for  a  writ  of  supersedeas  to 
defer  application  of  the  injunction.  'I'liis  was  denied  and  the 
attorney  general  announced  he  would  ajjpeal  to  the  Su]irenie 
C(nirt. 

Governor  Cruce 's  next  move  was  to  convene  the  Senate  in 
extraordinary  session,  on  Decemlier  3.  On  December  7  it  re- 
ported to  the  executive  that  it  had  concluded  to  reject  con- 
firmation of  nienibers  of  both  l)oards.  and  asked  that  names 
of  other  men  be  sulmiitted.  Tliis  tlie  governor  took  under 
ad\-iseuient.      .Meantime  tlie    liojidays   were  approai-lied   and 


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■!■■    .       '■^■V'<:l, 


THE   STORY  OF  OKI.AIIO.MA  CITY  305 

tcaclier.s  in  state  schools  wen-  cU'iiicd  their  warrants  l>ecause  of 
tlierc  t)einp,-  no  re('o^nize(l  authority  to  issue  tlieni.  To  relieve 
thi.s  situation  (ioNci-iior  Crnee  appointed  a  temporary  Iniard. 
It  was  eoniposetl  of  C  F.  Coicurd,  .lames  Clienoweth.  K.  V. 
Bisbee  and  Dr.  J.  A.  Kyan,  and  tlie\-  inuuediately  coinened 
and  ti-ansacted  neeessar\-  urgent  Inisiucss. 

Dr.  Newell  Dwight  Ilillis  was  the  si)eaker  at  the  annual 
banquet  of  the  Cbamber  of  Comnicree  this  year,  held  Mareh 
4.  Eight  hundred  men  were  in  attendance.  It  was  presided 
over  by  President  Frank  J.  Wikoff  who  revealed  that  the 
Chamber  was  working  on  plans  for  elevating  the  tracks  of 
the  Eock  Island  Railroad  and  the  straightening  of  sections  of 
the  channel  of  the  Canadian  River.  Shortly  before  this  date 
President  H.  U.  kludge  of  tlie  Rock  Island,  who  visited  the 
city  with  a  part}-  of  minor  officials,  had  stated  that  the  com- 
pany Lad  about  completed  plans  for  elevating  the  tracks. 
Doctor  Hillis  said:  "I  have  been  lecturing  fo]'  seventeen 
years  and  during  that  time  have  delivered  over  twelve  hun- 
dred lectures.  During  many  of  them  I  have  devoted  about 
thirty  minutes  of  time  to  telling  ()f  the  advantages  of  the 
Xorthwest.  Dut  I  want  to  tell  you  that  during  the  next  sev- 
enteen years  I  shall  devote  some  time  in  each  lecture  to  tell- 
ing of  the  advantages  of  the  Southwest.''  This  Ijanrpiet 
opened  the  annual  campaign  for  membershi])  that  I'esulted 
ill  the  acquisition  of  nearly  tive  hundred  members.  Among 
them  was  Bishop  AVilliam  A.  Quayle  of  the  ^fcthodist  Church. 

In  the  autunm  the  lirst  home  i»roducts  show  was  held, 
under  direction  of  a  suljdivision  of  the  Chamlier  of  C<>nuncrce. 
It  was  so  successful  that  members  of  the  Home  Products  and 
ManufactTU'crs  Association  resolved  to  perpetuate  the  <^ir- 
ganizati(»n  and  to  separate  it  from  the  Chamber.  C.  E.  Van 
Cleef  was  elected  president,  J.  R.  Harris,  vice  ju'esident.  Paul 

B.  Smith,  secretary,  and  Carl  'Weihener,  A.  'SI.  Eehr.  D.  C. 
Collins,  Ct.  Ct.  Sohiberg,  C.  AV.  Rathbun,  Bunn  I5ooth,  J.  B. 
Klein.  E.  K.  Fitzpatrick  and  Walter  I.  Crawford,  directors. 

S.  ]M.  (iloyd  was  elected  president  of  the  Chamber  at  the 
Deceml)er  annual  meeting,  and  he  and  James  Chenoweth,  H. 

C.  Tpsher,  J.  E.  O'Xeil.  E.  F.  Bisbee,  Fred  T.  .Miller.  John 
J.  Tten.  Ed  S.  Vaught.  Joseph  ITuckiiis.  Leon  Levy  and  F.  S. 
Lamb  constituted  tlie  l)oai'd  of  directors. 


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366  THE  STOKV   OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Seymom-  Ilcynuui,  a  t'onnci-  piesidciit  uf  tlir  ('luuul)L'r, 
who,  ill  fact,  was  cre(lit(_'d  witli  being  its  fuuiuk'r,  died  on 
JuiK'  2(1  Tlu'  (k'liiiso  of  no  otlirr  man  in  the  city  was  more 
])i()fouiid!y  or  iiiori'  gviiei-ally  regretted.  lie  was  a  iiati\'e  of 
Xew  York,  had  eoine  AVest  as  a  young  man  and  lived  in  Law- 
rence and  To^ieka,  Kan.,  and  had  come  to  (JkUdK.ma  City  in 
1897,  wlieii  lie  liecanie  a  memlter  (d'  the  clothing  tirin  (d'  Iley- 
liian  i.*c  (Joldstandt.  lie  was  the  founder  of  the  retail  mer- 
chants ass(K-iatioiu  had  lieeii  president  of  the  hasehall  assi»- 
ciatioii,  and  the  hoard  id'  education  and  had  taken  an  active 
part  in  every  laudable  public  undertaking  during  his  residence 
of  fifteen  years.  lie  was  an  Elk  and  a  Shriner  and  reiucseu- 
tatives  of  these  lodges  took  i)art  in  the  funeral  ceremonies.  In 
its  resolution  condoling  his  death,  the  (diamber  of  ('oiimierce 
said:  "Jn  the  capacity  <d'  iiresident,  director  and  member  <d' 
the  Chamber  of  Commei-ce  he  sel■^•ed  the  ])eople  with  a  self- 
sacritieing  devotion  that  took  no  account  of  the  demands  of 
liis  own  private  interests,  and  in  every  UK^ve  looking  to  the 
general  g<iod  he  could  l)e  and  was  relied  iqioii  for  effici^'Ut  and 
effective  service."  A  host  of  friends  attended  the  funeral 
which  was  in  general  charge  (d'  a  coumiittee  of  the  Chamber 
of  C(»nimerce  consisting  of  O.  P.  "Workman,  C  B.  Stone  and 
C.  F.  Colcord. 

The  general  election  on  Xovemlier  5  resulted  in  Senator 
R.  1..  Owen  defeating  Judge  J.  T.  Dickerson  cd'  Oklahoma 
City  for  Ignited  States  senator,  the  d(d'eat  by  Dick  T.  Morgan 
of  judgv  John  J.  Carney  for  Congress,  the' defeat  by  Ben  F. 
Wilson  <d'  Dr.  John  Threadgill  for  the  State  Senate,  the 
dcd'eat  by  1).  K.  Pope  of  Al  Jennings  for  county  attorney,  and 
the  election  (d' John  Ihiysoii,  county  judge,  llaruld  Lee.'deik 
of  the  Sujierior  Couit.  W.  \V.  Storm,  county  clerk.  M.  Cor- 
nelius, register  (d'  deeds.  Mrs.  Anna  15.  Lo\-(\  sn])erintendent 
of  scIk.oIs,  Thomas  Kirliy,  clerk  (d'the  District  Court,  (ieor-i 
Baker,  treasui'cr,  and  M.  C.  Binioii.  sheriff. 

L.  K.  Patterson  and  associates  during  the  year  sought  an 
entrance  for  their  street  cars  intn  tlu'  city  along  Kobiiis.-i, 
Avenue.  An  extended  .-olhuiuy  ensued  that  attract.'d  ]ui])Iic 
attention  and  when  Mayor  (Irant  and  the  (■■aiimissioners  re- 
fused a  ]>ermit  for  use  of  that  thornughfare,  Pattersoii  toek 
the  matter  to  court.     AVlieii  the  case  rea(died  the  Sn])r(  me 


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THK  XTORY  OF  OKLAIIC^.MA  CITV  369 

('(•iii't  1)11  aiipcal  that  triiniiial  held  that  only  an  ordinance 
a(h)i»tc(l  ])y  the  <  'ity  ( 'oniiuissidn  cuuhl  .lirant  the  use  of  streets 
for  a  ]-aihvay  enter})i'isc  and  that  the  election  previously  held, 
in  Avhicli  J'attcrson  was  granted  a  franchise,  was  only  ad- 
visory. 3»layor  (.Jrant  contended  that  the  election  had  not  heen 
held  according-  to  law  and  therefore  was  invalid. 

Three  larg'e  chnrches  were  dedicated  during  the  year. 
Four  thonsaud  persons  attended  the  two  services  at  the  First 
Baptist  Clmrch  on  :\Iarcli  24tli  when  the  pastor,  ])r.  Carter 
Helm  Jones,  delivered  two  serniojis  df  a  dedicatory  nature. 
On  June  SOtli  the  First  English  Lutheran  ( "hurdi  was  dedi- 
cated by  the  Rev.  E.  E.  Stauffer,  president  of  the  Synod  of 
Kaiisas.  Tt  "was  of  (iothic  architecture  and  the  site  and  the 
building  represented  an  outlay  of  ^50,000.  It  contained  thr^e 
memorial  windows,  one  of  which  was  presented  by  A.  H. 
Classen,  another  by  Mrs.  X.  F.  ( iates  and  Mrs.  John  J.  AVeitzel 
in^nemory  of  theii-  mother,  and  the  thii'd  by  four  sons  of  Mrs. 
Mary  Hansen,  who  had  died  recently.  On  October  20th  the 
University  Place  Christian  Church,  located  at  Twenty-eighth 
Street  and  McKinley  Avenue,  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  E.  T. 
Lane,  the  pastor. 

Dr.  Carter  Helm  Jones  on  July  7th  submitted  his«  resigna- 
tion to  his  official  board  and  announced  that  he  had  been 
called  to  a  pastorate  in  Seattle.  Lie  was  one  of  the  most 
learned  pastors,  mie  of  the  greatest  i)reachers  and  one  of  the 
most  beloved  men  that  had  tilled  a  pulpit  in  Oklahoma  City, 
and  this  was  attested  by  resolutions  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, the  ^iinisters  Alliance,  the  !Men\s  Dimier  Clul»  and  the - 
Virginia  and  Tennessee  Societies  asking  him  to  reconsider. 
His  successor  was  Dr.  11.  II.  Hulton,  who  came  from  a 
pastorate  at  Charlotte.  X.  C. 

Theodore  Roosevelt  again  Ausited  the  city  this  year,  this 
time  as  the  nonunee  of  the  jjrogressive  party  for  President. 
His  coming  worked  a  more  marked  division  between  the  ranks 
of  the  Roosevelt  and  the  Taft  supixirters.  Alva  ^IcDonald  of 
El  Reno  was  chairman  of  the  progressive  party  in  the  state. 
Xels  Darling  of  Oklahoma  City  was  among  the  ]:»arty  stnmj) 
speakers  of  the  cam])aigii.  J.  A.  Hai'ris.  who  had  ln'cn  elected 
re]ail)lican  national  couunitteeman,  resigned  as  state  chairman 


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li    1.     ;ii;in     : 


370  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIOiMA  CITY 

during  tlu'  camitaimi  and  was  siirceeded  In-  Arthur  Cicissler  of  i 

Olvlaliouia  City  who  liad  been  vice  chairuiau.  | 

Other  interesting  hapiienings  of  tlie  year  included  these:  | 

H.  G.  Eastman  succeeded  K.  E.  JJrown  as  jxistniaster  and  the  ; 

new    half-inilliou-donar     EecU-ral     JJuilding     was     formally  * 

opeued;   Carlton    M.   (irei-nman,   se(-retary   (d'   the   IJetailers  : 

Association,  was  elected  assistant  secretary  oi'  the  Cluuuber  _      '; 

of  Commerce  ;  Hubert  (.ialluvath.  then  of  Tulsa,  defeated  John 
B.  Dooliu  of  Oklahoma  City  for  democratic  national  commit- 
teeman; Dr.  .Stratton  D.  JJn.oks  (.f  Boston  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  State  Universit}-  an<l  Avas  inaugurated  October 
21st;  109  students  graduated  from  the  high  school;  the  death 
of  Mrs.  AVhit  ^1.  Grant,  wife  of  the  mayor,  occurred  on  June 
9th;  on  July  1st.  Fred  T.  ^Miller  was  appointed  to  succeed  tlie 
late  Seymour  Heyman  as  a  nienibrr  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion and  J.  O.  Mattison  Avas  elected  president  of  the  Ijoard; 
W.  L.  Bradley  resigned  as  secretary  to  ^layor  Grant  and  wa,s 
succeeded  l)y  C.  J.  Kendle;  John  Fields  resigned  as  })resident 
of  the  Oklahoma  State  Fair  Association  and  was  succeeded 
by  J.  L.  "Wilkin  ;  the  Rotary  Clul)  held  its  first  annual  banquet 
at  the  Skirvin  Hotel,  attended  by  200  ].ersons.  | 

Mr.  Brown,  later  secretary  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  I 

of  Oklahoma  City,  was  a  resident  of  this  city  for  mor+'  than  a  | 

quarter  of  a  century,  and  during  this  time  was  engaged  in  a 
variety  of  ])ursuits.  in  all  id'  which  Ik,'  was  connected  uku'c  or 
less  closely  with  tlie  growing  connnercial  and  civic  develop- 
ment. 

He  was  b(u-u  in  AVyandotte  County,  Ohio,  July  17,  ISGl.  • 

He  secured  his  vnvW  edncatii>n  in  the  imblic  schools  (d'  his  I 

nati\'e  locality,  this  bt'ing  su]qilenieiited  liy  a  coui'se  at  the  j 

Xtirmal   School   at    Paola,    Kan.,  and  thus  jirepai'ed  entered  J 

ujion  his  career  a'^  an  educator,  being  engaged   in  teaching  ? 

school  tor  two  yeais.     In  isNT  he  moved  to  what  was  known  | 

as  Xo  ^Mail's  Land,  a  tract  of  land  which  had  l)een  ceded  to  | 

the  United  States  Covenuiient  by  Texas,  in   ISf^O,  but  which  } 

for  a  niunber  o\'  years  had  no  government.     This  is  now  in-  | 

eluded  in  r.ea\-er  Count}',  Oklahoma,  and  thei-e  is  probal)ly  no  ' 

man  in  the  state  who  is  nioic  familial'  with  the  history  of  this 
interestini;-  locality,  lie  is  cousidereil  an  authority  and  has 
been   fre(|Uentl>-  called  upon  to  settle  dis]Mites  I'egarding  its 


■    ■'■  'in,  I  ■•  .;7  i( I  !>.,.       .  .,    .■},'.> 

/'      ;^'    .III,.;)      [t..i>\   '  ■[     ■    ■.['■'>l    a    ilfiul-illii!      7/-JU 


.    -,  .,f  ,,-      ,,(,r   ,  ,.;.-■ 


'I'n.Mp.-i' 


THE  STOPtY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  371   -3  7' 

history.  There  he  devoted  his  cittentiuu  to  newspaper  work, 
for  wliich  his  talents  peeiiUarly  titted  hhn,  and  it  was  in  this 
same  capacity  that  he  made  his  api)earance  in  Oklahoma  City 
in  July,  1889. 

Mr.  Brown  continued  to  he  emiaucd  in  jdurnalistic  laljors 
with  several  newsi);i]>ers  liei-e  until  ]90:5.  and  in  the  meantime 
identified  himself  with  politics,  so  that  in  ISO-j  he  was  ap- 
pointed chief  clerk  of  the  Territorial  Senate.  His  work  in 
that  body  im]»resseil  itself  favoraljly  upon  the  administration, 
and  in  ]901  he  was  ap])ointed  ti-rritoiial  oil  inspector,  a  posi- 
tion which  he  held  during  that  and  the  following  years.  He 
continued  his  newspaper  connections  while  holding  office,  but 
in  1903  again  entered  public  life,  when  he  was  appointed 
postmaster  of  Oklahoma  City,  and  retained  that  office  until 
.  1912,  having  at  that  time  couipletcly  abandoned  newspaper 
work.  During  his  administration  the  service  was  greatly  ini- 
l)roved,  and  he  made  a  I'ccord  which  established  him  in  the 
confidence  of  the  people  and  gave  him  the  reputation  of  being 
a  man  who  could  accomplish  things.  Always  an  enthusiastic 
booster  of  Oklahoma  City's  interests,  when  he  left  the  post- 
master's office  in  1912,  he  was  chosen  as  secretary  of  the  Cham- 
ber of  Conunerce.  He  has  no  membership  in  clubs  or  secret 
societies,  and  is  unmarried.  * 


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]913— A  PRP]A<'ITKirs  FAK'KWKLL 

"T  see  an  OklaliDiiia  City  uf  the  future,  a  city  heautiful, 
Id'ospcrous  and  Iia])py:  a  city  in  wliicli  the  spirit  of  Christ 
is  like  an  advance  <>f  snnuner  awakciiiiiLi  flowers,  sympathy 
and  l()\e;  a  center  of  eveiy  intlueiice  t'(U'  uDud;  its  business 
conducted  by  men  Avlio  recnunizi'  the  fatherhood  of  (.iod  and 
the  brotherhood  of  man;  its  homes  jiresided  o\-er  l)y  (iodly, 
praying'  mothers;  its  citizens  tauuht  of  tlie  Lord  from  the 
least  to  the  greatest." 

This  was  the  farewell  messa-e  of  Dr.  J.  PL  O.  Smith,  for 
six  and  a  half  years  pastor  of  the  First  ( 'liristian  ('hurch,  who 
resigned  in  Xo\ember  to  accept  a  sinnlar  ])astorate  at  Little 
Eock,  Ark.  It  was  the  end  of  his  last  sermon  delivered  to  his 
cougTegatiou  on  Xovembcr  2d.  Three  days  latt'r  he  had  a 
formal  leave  taking  of  the  Chaml)er  <d'  Commerce,  of  which 
he  was  an  active  and  devoted  memhei'.  and  the  regret  and  the 
well  wishes  of  the  membership  were  e-\]>ressed  by  President 
S.  M.  Glovd.  Later,  in  the  ]»arl(»rs  of  the  church,  his  pa- 
rishioners and  other  city  pastors  bade  him  an  affectionate 
good-bye. 

For  the  simple  reason,  no  doul)t.  that  Doctor  Suntli  pro1)a- 
bly  was  the  most  human  of  ])oi)nlar  ])astois  of  the  decade  he 
was  best  loved  inside  and  outsi(h'  of  Ins  coii-i'egation.  lie  was  a 
genial  and  cordial  gentleman  to  whom  material  diversions 
and  unconventionalities  strongly  a])peal<Ml.  aii  excclli'nt  nuxer, 
an  apt  and  forceful  speaker  on  any  stump,  a  minister  of  un- 
common virtues,  a  ]ireacher  of  unconmiou  parts,  and  withal 
spiritual  and  always  abounding  in  good  works  for  the  church. 
Next  to  his  church  he  loved  his  city,  ami  his  city  io\ed  him, 
and  it  \vas  with  genuine  regret  that  his  city  L;a\-e  him  up. 

The  departure   in   May  of  this  yeai'  of   Dr.  Thomas    IL 

Har])cr,  who  for  many  years  had  lien  ]ia>toi'  of  the  i'ilgi'im 

Coii-re-ational    Chuivh.    for   Spok.-me.    \\'a>h..   wheiv   a    Wkc 

]iastoi';ite    awaited    liim.    liki'wise    was    .uciierally    re-r<'tted. 

:!7:! 


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374  THP:  story  of  OKLAIIO-MA  CITY 

Doctor  Harper,  au  Eiglity-Xincr,  during-  his  residence  of 
twenty-four  years,  and  by  virtue  of  that  long  residence,  prob- 
ably exercised  a  greater  intkieuce  for  good  in  citizensliip, 
civics  and  government  than  any  other  preacher  that  lived  in 
the  city.  If  his  intluence  e^er  was  restricted,  and  there  is 
little  doubt  that  it  was  during  the  last  few  years  of  his  resi- 
dence, it  was  because  of  his  jjartisanship  in  i)olitical  matters. 
His  friends  led  him  into  politics,  several  times  nominating 
him  for  public  office,  and  made  him  a  target  for  the  arrows 
of  uuscruijulous  politicians.  But  those  who  knew  him  inti- 
mately never  countenanced  a  chai'ge  that  he  had  less  interest 
in  political  and  civil  reforms  than  in  the  lionors  that  come 
to  men  in  political  and  civic  authority. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  politicians  relieved  the  city 
builders  of  the  state  capital  issue.  Politics  had  crept  into  it 
but  once  before.  That  was  when  Governor  Haskell,  aniln- 
tious  to  succeed  Robert  L.  Owen  in  the  United  States  Senate, 
had  on  divers  occasions  tossed  the  issue  this  way  and  that  f<ir 
the  approval  and  acclaim  of  Oklahoma  City  and  her  support- 
ers over  the  state.  Oklahoma  City,  however,  if  it  felt  under 
obligati<ins  to  him,  did  not  entirely  fulfill  them,  for  in  the 
election  of  the  preceding  autumn  it  gave  Mr.  Owen  a  con- 
sidera])le  majority. 

The  first  measure  introduced  in  the  Senate  of  the  Legisla- 
ture that  convened  in  January  of  tliis  year  was  a  I'esolution 
by  T.  F.  McMechan  of  the  city  pi-ovidiug  that  tlie  Legislature 
on  behalf  of  the  state  acc('])t  the  land  and  money  that  had 
been  oifercd  hy  the  Ca]»itol  IJnilding  ('(Hiipany.  The  Senate 
apiiointcd  a  cnnnnittce  to  investigate  titles  tn  the  capitol  tracts 
and  on  February  IDtli  the  couiinittee  reeonnuended  ait]ir(i\'al. 
On  the  following  day.  United  States  District  Judge  W.  II. 
Po})e  of  Xew  Mexico  rendered  a  decision  in  the  contest  case 
of  John  liurtnii  against  the  heirs  (.f  the  estate  of  the  I\ev. 
Heni'v  Howe  in  wliich  he  held  that  the  heirs  had  legal  title 


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FIRST   i:Xt;LISII   LrHllOUAX   (.HUl'vCII 


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TIIK  STORY  (»P^  OKLAHOMA  CITV  377 

briny-  .suit  on  the  company's  liond.  Tlio  it'solutitm  was  de- 
feated. Senator  John  11.  I5urford  of  (iuthrie  introdueed  a 
measure  providing  tliat  tlic  state  oflicials  sliould  l>c  housed 
at  (iuthrie  until  the  capitol  was  couipU'ted,  and  this  was  de- 
feated. On  .Maivli  (ith  thr  Senate  passc<l  the  .McMeeliau 
resohitioji.  and  on  March  l."^th  it  was  passed  hy  the  House. 
Senator  M<-Mechan  on  April  Mth  inti-oduced  a  hill  creating 
a  eapitol  conunission  to  lie  composed  of  three  memhers  and 
appropriating-  .$1,000,0(10  for  erection  id'  the  capit(d.  On  3>Lay 
2d  a  hill  was  jiassed  hy  the  Idouse  appropi'iatini^-  $750,000  for 
huilding-  })urposes.  A  coni]»roniise  l)ill  finally  passed  the 
House  on  ^lay  9th  and  the  Senate  on  ^lay  IGth  and  was  ap- 
proved hy  (lovernor  Cruee  on  ^lay  23d.  Under  this  hill  the 
Senate  selected  P.  J.  Oouldiny  of  Enid,  the  House,  A\'.  B. 
Anthony  of  Marlow,  and  the  governor,  Ste[)hen  A.  Doug-las 
of  Ardmore,  as  a  ca])itol  conunission. 

Kei)resentative  J.  K.  AVyand  of  Muskogee  and  H.  C. 
Swea]-ingen  of  (iuthrie  filed  with  the  secretary  of  state  a 
referendum  petition  praying  that  the  capital  bill  recently 
enacted  be  referred  to  the  people.  The  bill  did  not  carry  an 
emergency  clause  and  woidd  not  l)ecome  a  law  until  October 
3d.  On  December  9th,  Justices  K.  W.  AVilliams  and  M.  J. 
Kane  announced  disqualifications  for  sitting  in  the  hearing 
of  the  case  which  had  been  appealed  from  the  secretary  of 
state. 

Governor  Cruce  in  January  complied  with  the  desire  of  the 
Senate  and  appointed  an  entirely  new  State  Boaid  of  Educa- 
tion and  all  appointments  were  confirmed  on  Febi-uary  1st. 
The  appointees  were  H.  M.  Duiu'an  nf  Pauls  Valley,  H.  C. 
Potterf  of  Ardmore,  Frank  .1.  Wik(df  .d'  Oklahoma  City  and 
Dr.  V.  B.  iMte  of  :Muskogee.  Attoi'ueys  tor  the  original  "board 
were  granted  an  injunction  by  District  Judge  J.  J.  ('arney 
forbidding  the  new  board  executing  new  textbook  contracts. 
On  liehalf  of  the  new  board.  ( 'harles  .Moore,  assistant  attorney 
general,  a})i)ealed  the  case  to  the  Suiu-cme  Court. 

An  unusual  incident  of  the  obser\ance  (pf  the  state's  ])irth- 
day  this  year  Avas  the  placing  id'  what  was  called  a  ( 'entui'y 
Chest  in  the  foundation  of  the  l-'ii'st  I'Jiulish  Eutheran  Chui-ch. 
It  was  ]danned  by  the  Eadies'  Aid  Su.-iely  ,d'  the  Eutheran 
c-ongregation  of  which  ?ilrs.  ( ieorge  (i.   Sohlberg  was  ]M-esi- 


;'■  '1,1  hiu?-C'.;  ;.  ;:;:.,  I,  lojiutoir'.  .icj));'.! 
I(;i-  iriM  ■)■>).;-.  ,!lT  TKill  i;(iil)i7m(j[  'j'i;j>iii'>m 
•;■.!•;. 11.. .  -  ;■  V  I.  I  -11,    lilt  I'JiKf  •)i-;ilji;;)  In 

"j    -(.7      li      i'.,!    ,;  .i.;l/     (M>    r>(.;   .U..itl ([<>-,■  ri 


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378  THE  STORY  UF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

dent,  and  the  conception  was  that  the  ebc.st  shoidd  be  opened 
lUO  }-eiU-s  from  that  date.  Instructions  to  that  effect  were 
written  on  the  chest's  exterioi'.  In  it  were  i)laced  articles  of 
singular  signiticance.  Among  them  were  speeches  delivered 
during  the  evening  })rogTam  by  (Juvernor  Lee  Cruce  and 
Mayu]-  \Vhit  M.  (irant,  phonugrapb  records  of  the  voices  in 
song  (»f  >tlrs.  C.  13.  Ames,  Mrs.  W.  B.  Moore  and  M.  K.  Ben- 
nett, a  ])honograph  record  of  an  addi'css  by  Dr.  A.  C.  Scott, 
and  a  manuscript  containing  instructions  to  those  wliu  open 
the  box  on  April  22,  2013.  This  bore  a  prayer  that  is  to  be 
repeated  by  those  participating  in  the  opening  ceremony  and 
it  directed  that  the  speech  of  Governor  Cruce  should  Ije  read 
to  the  assemblage  l^y  the  then  governor  of  the  state  and  the 
speech  of  Mayor  Grant  read  ))y  the  then  mayor  of  the  city. 

In  his  speech  Mayor  Grant  said:  "I  am  conscious  that 
we  are  making  ancestors  of  ourselves  tonight.  We  are  fur- 
nishing a  text  and  a  message  from  which  one  hundred  years 
from  today  descendants  will  take  a  measu]-e  of  their  ancestors. 
This  is  the  first  time  in  history,  I  suppose,  that  an  evening's 
program  was  prepared  one  hundred  years  before  its  perform- 
ance. It  was  the  thought  of  a  genius  and  that  genius  is  ]Mrs. 
Virginia  Tucker  Sohlberg.  An  April  evening  of  2013  will  l)e 
athi'ol)  with  the  life  of  a  buried  day.  Voices  and  presences 
will  be  there  from  far  across  the  century.  "We  are  tonight 
laying  fairy  bridgework  that  will  span  a  century  of  time.  "We 
are  forging  a  liond  whose  binding  poAver  will  bring  in  close 
communication  the  lusty  living  and  the  distant  dead.  AVe. 
l^ioncers  of  Oklahoma  City,  send  our  gi'ceting  across  the  ccn- 
tui'y  to  men  and  women  of  2013.  We,  who  shall  have  long  l)een 
dust  before  this  message  falls  n\><n\  your  ears,  salute  }'ou!" 

The  incidents  of  this  night  were  viAiilly  recalled  les^ 
ninety  days  later  when  Mrs.  Sohlberu  jiasscd  to  her  re 

Resolutions  fa\'oriug  Oklahoma  taking  a  conspicuou: 
in  the  foi'thconiing  Panama-PaciHc  Exjiositiou  at  San 
Cisco  Were  a<lopte(l  liy  the  I-]ighty-Xin('rs  Association 
annual  meeting.  Jack  Love,  chaii'uiau  of  the  Gorpoi 
Oonmiissioii,  was  elected  ])resident  of  the  association. 
L.  ^litcli  w;is  elected  vice  ])resident.  Robert  Parmaii.  secre- 
taiy,  and  Fred  Sutton,  treasurer.  Pcinvscntntives  of  the 
association  a  few  weeks  later  took  ])art  in  a  repi'o(lu<-tiou  of 


■^  tlian 

■ward. 

s  part 

Fi'an- 

at  its 

ration 

Jollll 

;'i  I  ,.    /.I   -Il/..l.'l('    ■■('.)    Y  U -';>•;   M'iT 


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.>..•     /]'  4,     ■    ,^,M..,]>     -i-^'^    f-ii;  -:i  'Ml/.,      /n.x.  .::  i-. 

,,'         .-,].,;      ,   i       ■).,    ^i    ..,T.']     , I'll;-  — ,>. I   M!a    ,!(!(, ■!•>    .1/  I'i/'  .-.I.)/.   ■ 

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THE  yTORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  379 

the  "run"  of  LS89  at  LiiK-uln  Park,  staged  for  the  camera 
that  the  picture  might  be  reproduced  in  San  Francisco. 

An  association  had  been  formed  to  take  cliarge  of  prepara- 
tion for  Oklahoma's  part  in  tlie  ex}>osition,  and  Justice  Jesse 
Dunn  of  the  Supn'Uie  Court,  then  sojourning  in  California, 
and  Miss  (Jail  Johnson  Sipes  of  Oklahoma  (.'ity  were  author- 
ized by  the  association  to  select  a  site  for  an  Oklahoma  build- 
ing. ^Many  thousands  of  feet  in  cinema  tllm  were  made  for 
the  "i)icture  show'"  of  the  Oklahoma  Building,  and  these  ex- 
hibited all  manner  of  life,  style,  architecture,  products, 
thoroughfares,  industries  and  landscapes.  A  statewide  l)rick- 
sale  cam])aign  was  carried  on  by. which  to  raise  funds  for 
transporting  and  housing  the  exhilnts.  On  September  13th, 
Roy  Oakes  resigned  as  secretar\'  of  the  J:lxp(.)sition  Connnis- 
sion  and  was  succeeded  by  A.  R.  Turner  of  Oklahoma  City. 

In  the  April  election  Guy  Blackwelder  was  reelected  com- 
missioner of  i)ublic  woi-ks,  defeating  Henry  M.  Scales,  a 
former  mayor.  J.  T.  Highley  was  reelected  commissioner 
of  public  safety,  defeating  O.  A.  Mitscher.  The  progressive 
party  for  the  first  time  nominated  candidates  for  municipal 
offices.  Fred  Peckham  was  its  nominee  for  commissioner  of 
jDublic  works  and  Orin  Ashton  for  connnissioner  of  i:)ublic 
safety. 

Guy  V.  Buchanan  of  Joplin,  Mo.,  was  this  year  elected 
superintendent  of  schools  to  succeed  AV.  A.  Bi'audenburg, 
who  retired  to  accept  the  i»osition  of  president  of  a  state 
normal  cohegv  at  Pittsburg,  Kan. 

Patience  ceased  t(.  be  a  virtue  with  the  Oklahoma  City 
Terminal  Jvaihvay  ('onijian}'  while  it  awaited  wni'd  fi-om  olh- 
oials  of  the  Missouri.  Oklahi.ma  e<c  (iulf  liailway  Company 
that  it  was  I'eady  to  contract  for  con.struction  o{'  a  road  from 
llenryetta  to  Oklahoma  <'ity,  and  on  September  IGth  the 
terminal  company  advist'd  the  railway  company  that  mrless 
the  contract  was  executed  at  once  tlie  latter  would  forfeit  the 


bonus  of  .-t;?.'),!)!!!) 

tliat  had  been  r;i 

lised.    On  Xovember  r)th  the 

terminal  compan\ 

•  amioiiuced  its  i 

cadiiiess  to  I'eturn  tlie  money 

sul)scribed  to  the 

bonus  fund,  an 

d  it  was  oidy  a  few  months 

later  that  the  la 

ilway  company 

]iass(Ml  into  the  hands  of  a 

i-ecei\-er.      The   ti 

•rminal    conipaii 

\    had   on   depnvit    in    banks 

noai'ly  forty- four 

thousan.l  dollai 

•s  uf  money  received  fmm  a 

;  .  /.!/fMi/..i>5'<>    u}   niK>i 


iir-:-   :)r<t   •.,.! 


II. i     >l:ifl'i       .  .    ::M     ..'■     .i-   !('-""     ■'-      '•-       '■   >Vi  tC"     yi-'f     "J! 
■        -      ;,  '.-•        ''         ...;,'.       ;   :i;  :  ._,.■.        -..■,.      ■.::,:..;      '■.<<     •fMfoiri^tKll 


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380  TIIK  STURY  UF  OKLAHOilA  CITY 

Ijuiid  issiu',  which  rcuiaiiicd  to  hi'  disposi'd  ot.  Officials  <it'  the 
teniiiiuil  cniiipaiiy,  whidi  was  created  to  ii'ccivc  ami  make 
disposition  (d  the  railroad  hoims.  were  (icoriic  (i.  Sohlhcr.u-, 
l)rcsidciit.  1\.  .\1.  (iai-diicr.  scci'ctai}-,  \V.  V.  Ilaixlic.  assistant 
secretary,  and  ( ).  P.  Workman,  treasurer. 

At  a  wide  awa]<e  Inndieon  of  the  Chanihei'  (d'  Conimerf-c 
on  Octoher  '2-\l  the  hody  heard  an  ilhnninatin.u'  address  on  the 
snhject  nf  the  possiliilities  of  iiri-ation  in  Oklahoma,  de- 
livered by  II.  M.  Cutti-ell,  a.^ricnltnial  connnissioner  cd'  the 
Kock  Island  Railway  Company.  Jt  rekindled  the  l)ooster 
fer\-or  (d'  foi-mer  inspirational  i;atherin,L;s  and  the  Ijody  went 
on  reeoi-d  favoring  an  irrigation  project  for  the  vicinity  of 
this  city,  and  President  (ilo\d  appointed  a  conuiiittee  to  make 
a  survey  of  the  midergrouhd  water  supply.  Commissioner 
Cottrell  ]ironnse'd  to  send  his  I'ailroad  engineers  down  to 
assist  in  the  enterprise.  The  meiding  was  addrcs.sed  also  hy 
United  States  Senator  Gore.  Since  a  democratic  national 
administJ'ation  had  l)een  installed  in  ^Nfarch  and  a  vacancy- 
existed,  or  was  aljout  to  exist,  in  the  Interstate  Commerce 
Commission,  Frank  -J.  Wikoff  at  this  luncheon  nominated 
George  Hcnshaw,  a  memher  of  the  Coi-jxiration  Comnnssion.  t 

for  appointment  to  a  seat  in  the  national  body.     The  nomi-  | 

nation  was  seconded  by  J.  H.  Johnston.  i 

At  the  regular  annual  banqnet  of  the  Chamber  this  year.  | 

attended  by  500  persons,  an  address  was  delivered  by  AVillis  | 

L.  Moore,  chief  (officer  of  the  United  States  AVeather  Bureau.  • 

On  April  15th,  "\V.  B.  ]\Ioore  resigned  as  secretary-manager  I 

and  was  succeeded  l)y  W.  V.  Ilardie,  secretary  of  the  Okla-  '' 

lioma  Ti-affic  Association.  • 

Three  interurban  cars  were  tilled  with  guests  >>{  the  Okla-  j 

homa  Kaihvay  Company  on  Xovember  14th  on  the  initial  run 
of  cars  into  Xorman.     They  were  met  by  a  large  crowd  of  ' 

Xorman  residents  and  students  of  the  State  I'niversity  and  ;; 

a  welconnng  meeting  was  ludd  in  the  stri'et.  The  welcominu' 
ad<lress  was  deli\-ered  by  Judge  W.  L.  Eagleton.  president  of  [ 

the  Xorman  Chaniber  of  Connnerce,  and  the  i-esponse  by 
Frank  d.  AN'ikidf  (d'  th.'  Oklahoma  City  Chamber  <d'  Com- 
merce. Other  speeches  were  made  by  Dr.  Phil  C.  P>aird  .d' 
tlw  First  Presbyterian  Cbiirdi  ,,f  Oklahoma  City,  John 
Shartel,    general    manager    (d'    the    railway    coni]ian>-,     Dr. 


W'  >  Yi'-ri .-.  ;"iT 


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THE  ST(^RY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  383 

StrattoH  1).  Brooks,  president  of  tlie  State  University,  and 
George  Ilensliaw,  a  member  of  the  coi-poration  connnission. 

With  an  appropriation  of  >=7').( « )( i.  jirdvided  by  the  I>ei;isla- 
tiire,  a  commission  eomijosed  (if  (bivernur  ( 'nice.  Secretary  of 
State  Harrison  and  State  Tivasnrer  Dunlop  juiid  fur  and  ac- 
cepted a  silver  sei'vice  that  was  tt>  Ite  presented  next  year  to 
the  command  in, LI,-  oftii-er  of  tlie  ]]attk'slnp  Okhdmnia.  cnni"[)k'- 
tion  of  ■wliich  was  tn  l»e  anniunieed  within  a  few  niontlis.  'J'he 
service  consisted  of  sixty-se\en  pieces  weii;hinu  22:!  i)onnds 
sterling.  On  the  handle  of  one  {liece  was  engraved  a  likeness 
of  Setpioyah,  inventor  of  the  (Cherokee  al])habet.  On  the 
handle  of  another  was  a  likeness  (d'  David  L.  Payne,  the  chief 
of  Oklahoma  boomers.  On  the  ]>iinch  bowl  was  an  engi-aved 
reproduction  of  a  pictnri'  of  the  ••run"  in  1SS9.  and  on  another 
part  of  it  the  great  seal  of  state.  The  front  elevation  of  the 
cai)itol  soon  to  lie  erected  was  de}'ictcd  on  ;>  lai-ge  tray  that  Ijore 
the  service,  (bnernor  ( 'ruce  annonii<-ed  tliat  his  daughter 
Loreua  would  be  selected  to  i-hristen  the  dreadnaught. 

The  year  was  notable  for  the  number  of  resignations  of 
oifieials.  On  Felu-uary  llth.  AVilliani  Tighhnan  resigned  as 
chief  of  police  and  announced  himself  a  candidate  for  ai»- 
pointmcnt  as  United  States  marshal.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Jerome  I).  Jones  whom  Mayor  (irant  aiiiiointed.  On  Febru- 
ary 12th,  Leo  ]\Leye]-  resigned  at  state  audit(U'  and  (iovernoi' 
Cruce  appointed  J.  ('.  ^rc('lelland  of  Oklahoma  City  to  suc- 
ceed him.  On  ^Nlai'ch  ISth,  Senator  .1.  V,.  Thompson  of  Pauls 
Valley  resigned  from  the  Senat<'  i>rc]iaratory  to  taking  liis 
seat  in  Congress,  to  whidi  he  lind  liccu  elected  fi'oui  th<'  stnti' 
at  large.  On  A]ii'il  -iSth.  A.  L.  Welch  ,,f  Pureed  was  aiipoiuted 
])y  (iovt'rnor  Cruce  to  succeed  1'.  A.  P.allard  who  had  I'csigued 
as  state  insurance  couunis<ioner.  .lustice  .less,.  .1.  Dunn  i-e- 
signed  from  the  Supreme  < 'ourt  on  August  12tli.  nuuouncing 
that  he  expected  to  be<-ome  a  re-^ideiU  of  Oakland.  Cak.  and 
Governor  Cruce  ajiiiointed  dnd-e  R.  II.  Poofbourrow  of 
Woodward  to  till  the  vacaucv. 

A  reorganization  of  the  Real  K<tate  Dialers  Association 
was  perfected  this  year  and  ste]is  were  taken  to  carry  on  a 
canii)aign  of  publicity  for  the  cit\-  and  to  assist  the  i-ailroads  in 
stimulating  innuiuratiou.  P.  < '.  .\lc('lure  was  elected  pi'e^i- 
dent.  and  the  directors  were  P.  P.  Aurdins.  Dr.  (i.  A.  Nichols. 


'i'    I-    1       /: 


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:5S4  TIIK  STORY  OF  OKLAHO.AIA  CITY 

J.  AV.  .Maim.  Dr.  A.  C.  Knochs,  C.  F.  (/..Ic.rd,  L.  1).  Kii^lit. 
Charles  V>.  ('o.-kL'.  J.  W.  Pryi'i'.  <>•  H.  IJraiicr  and  A.  H. 
XeLsoii. 

A  mild  (•(iiidcnmatluu  of  the  rcfeirndum.  vouchsafed  hy 
the  constitution,  as  a  provision  of  a  cit\'  chaiter  was  cx- 
jiressed  at  a  meetin.L^-  of  ot'licials  of  connnis>ion-,i;(>vcrned  cities 
held  here  .January  loth,  in  resjionse  to  a  call  of  Mayor  Cirant. 
Ohjeetions  weiv  found  also  to  the  recall  i>ro\-ision  of  charters. 
This  Avas  the  first  nieetin.L;'  of  the  kind  iii  the  liist(»ry  <if  the 
state  an<l  it  resulted  in  the  election  (-f  E.  S.  Ratliff,  mayor  of 
Ada,  as  jucsident;  Guy  Blaekweldei-.  connnissioner  of  imljlic 
works  (d'  Oklahoma  City,  secretary;  and  P.  P.  Duffy,  mayor 
of  El  Keno,  vice  president.  The  discussions  were  timely  so 
far  as  Ma^'or  Grant  was  concerned,  for  twice  already  elTorts 
had  heeu  made  to  effect  his  recall.  His  Avas  a  liusiness  ad- 
ministration and  approved  by  business  men,  lint  it  Avas  in  dis- 
favor with  i)olitical  charter  enemies  and  oruanizations  that 
complained  of  lax  enforcement  of  ordinances  against  li(|Uor 
and  t^anibliny-.  The  Central  Himdred,  an  ori;anization  coni- 
l)osed  ])rincipally  of  churchmen  and  headed  by  John  Embr\-. 
formerly  United  States  district  attorney,  was  ])erfected.  and 
its  uiemliers  were  instructed  to  use  their  influence  for  the 
enforcement  of  city,  comity  and  state  laws. 

Other  events  of  the  year  included  the  following-:  The 
House  (d'  Representatives  of  the  Leuislature,  of  which  J.  H. 
Maxey  Avas  s})eaker,  passed  a  resolution  favorinii,-  the  aitpoint- 
meiit  of  Jud^v  P.  A.  Rogers  of  Oklahoma  City  as  secretary  nf 
the  interior;  Ehiiei-  E.  Houuhton.  an  Eii;'lity-Xiner.  a  veteran 
of  the  S])anish-Aiiierican  war  and  the  owner  of  nmcli  county 
and  city  projierty,  died  on  June  12;  Huln-rt  L.  Poleii,  a  repre- 
sentative ill  the  Lei^lslature  frt»m  Oklahoma  County  and  Avho 
had  nianaucd  the  campaiiiii  for  Senator  Owen  the  }>revious 
year,  received  notice  of  his  ap])ointmcnt  as  internal  revenue 
(•ollect<u'  for  Oklahoma;  Clarke  C.  Hudson,  (.ne  of  the  new 
membei-s  of  th(>  board  <d'  education,  was  elected  its  i)resident ; 
on  October  21st  announcement  Avas  made  that  the  X(U'th 
Canadian  A'alley  Railway  C(.m])aiiy.  of  Avhich  John  Shartel 
Avas  i^'eneral  manager,  had  jjurchased  the  railway  interests  of 
L.  E.  T^atterson  and  associates  and  tliat  the  ]>urchase  meant 
in  effect  a  consolidation  Avith  tlie  Classen  railwav  interests; 


■:.-/{      ■      :in.!'>       .  t;-;      ,.     '!    ,     :;,.   -i   'O'l.)      I,      '.i'.     .i.i>{hn'lUHin     -fill 


inr:M   ,.-l 


THE  STORV  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  385 

on  October  24tli,  Dr.  J.  Q.  Newell  was  appointed  United  States 
marshal  of  the  Western  District  to  snccecd  Cash  M.  Cade; 
J.  L.  Wilkin  was  elected  })resident  of  the  State  Fair  Associa- 
tion; G.  B.  Stone,  vice  president;  J.  F.  AVarren,  treasurer, 
and  I.  S.  Mahan,  secretary. 


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^%-'.'- 


1914— THE  CENTRAL  HUNDRED 

Whether  huv  violations  were  nioie  iiuinerous  aucl  mure 
notorious  this  year  than  in  former  years  or  only  appeared  to  be 
through  revelations  made  to  the  public  is  not  ascertaiualjle. 
It  is  certain  that  the  public  conscience  was  livelier  and  puljlie 
outcry  for  intenser  efforts  at  law  enforcement  was  vastly 
more  evident  and  much  more  insistent  than  formerly.  The 
Central  Hundred,  an  association  of  churchmen  principally, 
which  was  organized  in  the  preceding  year,  wielded  a  tre- 
mendous influence  in  behalf  of  law  and  order,  public  morals 
and  public  decency.  "While  its  motives  sometimes  were 
doubted  in  high  places  and  cruninatious  were  indulged  by  its 
enemies,  there  is  no  doubt  that  a  great  majority  of  its  meml^ers 
were  righteously  conscientious  and  moved  by  conmiendable 
desires.  On  the  other  hand,  its  activities  no  doubt  ran  counter 
to  the  activities  of  others  whose  endeavors  were  etjually  well 
grounded  in  morals  but  trended  an  entirely  dii^erent  route  to- 
ward results.  A  detailed  review  of  the  year's  reform  move- 
ments Avould  inevitably  force  a  conclusion  in  the  mind  of  a 
nonresident  that  the  city  had  become  unpardonably  bad. 
Doubtless  currents  of  lawlessness  in  the  lower  strata  of  the 
city's  life  had  been  set  off  from  shore  by  the  defeat  of  the  pro- 
posed repeal  of  the  prohi])ition  article  of  the  constitution. 
Color  was  lent  to  this  presumption  when  advocates  of  local 
option,  undismayed  by  defeat,  resolved  to  maintain  an  (U'gan- 
ization,  hoping  that  a  time  would  be  found  opportune  to  again 
submit  the  matter  to  the  people  of  the  state. 

A  severe  criticism  of  Mayor  Gi'ant  was  contained  in  the 
substance  of  the  proceedings  of  a  January  meeting  of  the 
Central  Hundred,  and  on  January  29th,  Fred  S.  Caldwell, 
counsel  for  the  organization,  tiled  witli  the  city  clei'k  tlie 
necessary  form  of  affidavit  as  a  basis  for  initiating  a  recall 
■petition.     The   affidavit   charged   that   the   mayor  had   ])een 


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390  THE  STORY   OF  OKLAIKl.MA  CITY 

derelict  in  ent'orciuy  laws  ai;ainst  the  sale  of  intoxieatini;' 
liquor  and  ganibliiig.  Mayor  (irant  replied  to  the  eliarL;c'  in 
a  statement  addressed  '"to  tlie  i)eoi)Ie  of  Oklahoma  City."'  in 
which  he  told  of  the  handicaps  of  the  administration.  It  was 
difficult,  he  said,  for  officers  to  locate  the  scenes  of  operations 
<.>f  law  violators  ])ecause  of  lookouts  bciny  stationed  advan- 
tayeously  by  violators  to  rc[)ort  the  presence  of  officers.  'J'hc 
people  had  demanded  an  econonncal  adnnnistration.  whicli 
he  was  striving  earnestly  to  give  them,  he  said,  and  he  deemed 
it  inadvisal»le  to  concentrate  his  police  force  against  violators 
of  this  kind" to  the  exclusion  of  regular  duties  that  required 
all  of  their  time.  lie  defended  what  he  termed  a  conmiend- 
able  recoi-d  foi'  law  enforcement,  expressed  a  doubt  that  offi- 
cials ever  would  be  able  to  cope  successfully  with  the  hip- 
pocket  bootlegger,  and  reconunended  that  county  ofticials  take 
a  lead  in  enforcing  the  anti-liquor  and  anti-gambling  laws 
because  of  their  ability  to  secure  and  maintain  injunctions 
against  violators  and  their  places  of  Imsincss. 

Sentiment  created  l)y  the  Central  Hundred's  propaganda 
was  in  a  measure  responsilde  for  ^Nlayor  Grant's  demanding 
the  rcsignatifiu  of  Police  Chief  -Tones  and  the  ni)pointment  of 
Shirley  Dyer  as  successor.  Jones  declined  to  submit  his 
resignation  and  Itoth  he  and  Dyer  reported  for  dut_v.  This 
controversy  was  tei'ininated  ten  da}'s  later  when  Dyer  I'esigned 
and  Weljl)  Jones  was  appointed. 

The  public  did  not  impugn  tlie  motives  of  men  who,  dur- 
ing this  period  of  tlie  revolt  of  tlie  churchmen,  organized  the 
United  Civics  Association.  l)Ut  a  considei'al)le  percentage  of 
the  ijublic  condoned  what  they  conceived  to  lie  the  inop]ior- 
tuneness  of  the  association.  And  this  belief  Avas  inteiisilied 
when  the  association  in  a  call  for  a  meeting  asserted  that 
'•there  iie\-ei-  was  a  time  in  history  when  a  display  of  conuiiou 
sense  and  courage  was  more  needed,  Avheii  cheap  politicians, 
and  fake  rtd'orniers  were  making  themselves  so  conspicuous. 
to  the  injury  of  Oklahoma "s  material  pros[>erity  and  ad- 
vancement."' Henry  ( 'I'osby  was  president  of  the  association, 
A.  :\[.  Coldstaut.  vice  pivshJeut,  ami  F.  D.  J,.lmson.  secretary- 
treasurer. 

■When  there  were  signs  (d"  the  disappearam-e  (d'  clouds  <d' 
conflict  and  (d'  an  improvement  in  public  morals.  ••(()iieenie" 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKI,AIIO.MA  CITY  393 

came  to  town.  Queeuie  was  a  dancing  girl,  impurted  fur 
entertainment  of  delegates  to  a  cattlemen's  convention.  It 
would  appear  from  the  rag-tag  of  street  conversation,  which 
was  repeated  and  spread  until  it  encompassed  the  city,  that 
Queenie  performed  unethically  for  the  cattlemen  and  their 
Oklahoma  City  host.  This  was  among  the  reasons  for  the 
creation  of  the  Women's  C(jimcil  of  Oklahoma  ('ity  on  ^larch 
16.  Other  reasons  were  the  interest  the  women  had  in  gen- 
eral reforms.  Its  president  was  ^Nlrs.  S.  Ditzell,  its  vice 
presidents  Mrs.  John  Threadgill  ami  ^Irs.  C.  M.  Steffcr,  its 
recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Michael  Conlan,  its  corres}»onding 
secretary,  Mrs.  AV.  P.  Cochran,  its  treasurer,  ^Mrs.  Tracy 
Robinson,  and  its  parliamentarian,  ^Irs.  "William  Kelley. 

Representatives  of  several  hiw  and  order  organizati(ins' 
conferred  with  the  governor.  They  discussed  conditions  gen- 
erally and  in  particular  protested  against  race-track  gambling 
being  permitted  during  a  forthcoming  race  meet.  The  gov- 
ernor said  to  them  that  if  necessary  he  W(>uld  tu'der  out 
state  troops  to  prevent  gambling.  Shortly  after  that  the  hand 
of  the  govern()r  Avas  yisil^le  in  clean-up  operations.  Attorney 
(iencral  Charles  West  appearing  in  the  District  Court  to 
assist  the  county  att<:)rney  in  the  prosecution  of  two  men 
charged  with  gambling.  John  Eml)ry.  ])i-('sident  of  the  Cen- 
tral Hundred,  represented  that  body  in  the  i)rosecution.  In 
the  meantime  Sheriff  M.  C.  Binion  and  his  Hying  s(iuadrons 
of  deputies  were  diligently  pTU'suing  law  violators.  Mayor 
Grant  and  his  police  department  weiv  increasing  their  activ- 
ities, and  wholesome  results  were  l)eiiig  obtained.  Attorney 
General  West,  having  secured  i-onvictions  in  the  gam!)ling 
cases,  contimied  to  harass  law  Aiolators.  He  instituted  suit 
for  $8,000  against  the  owners  of  one  of  the  city's  largest 
office  buildings,  charging  that  rooms  were  leased  for  law  vio- 
lation purposes. 

From  the  city  hall  came  the  next  move.  It  was  made  l)y 
Col.  J.  W.  Johnson,  nuuiicipal  counsellor,  who  applied  to 
District  Judge  J.  J.  Carney  for  an  injunction  restraining 
operati(^n  of  turf  exchanges.  It  was  gi'anted,  l)ut  later  dis- 
missed, and  Attorney  General  West,  taking  a  hand,  joined 
Colonel  Johnson  in  an  application  for  another  hearing.  ( 'ounty 
Attorney  D.  K.  Pope  resenttnl  the  apparent  ollicidusness  of 


l::>iii        .(Hii;j,'-'[-»7iir      fj''lt>^  It.    -fiJ-'J);!     . 

•!•>(';■   i  !<(.  fj  ,1  I'li;.,.-.    iilj  -ut't    ill'/id'-jifji  ]•■ 

''    .T;;!^     ;•,,    '    fi'  )    ■;    .  f .    ..      ',!<!    V      'i     •■     '     '^       ''i   .H~u'II    '.l' 

^       <<i\''\f-.     i/    ')    ^-l/:   full:  !'i-!w;  •dlT  if.foL  .-ll^-  i-i'lihi^.)I4 

:.  ^      :.:!'■"     ,-.^     ;-i-.»    .■'  ■     '.!..    ■>    .q     7/    ,^7)/    ,rr  ,       ^ 

^   ,v  '  ::;:  ■.:-      ■  .    •       i  ,•  ■     ;  ,              --     ;..    -■■    : '  i.  j  rt-'^. .  iq-jn 

,'  :■,   ...    .....m-m;'     )     .         •  :               ;. J  •■;:!,.■. :;-:m  lii  ImH;   HI.;'!-* 


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394  THE  STOHV   OF  OKLAIlO.MA   LlTY 

the  attt)nK-y  -eiicral  and  said  in  effect  that  the  latter  shindd 
coutinne  ti«  relieve  him  ot  enforein--  the  anti-li(iUi>r  and  anti- 
ganiljliiiu-  laws,  tn  which  .Mr.  West  reiilied,  "It's  your  duty; 
you  do  it."  Whereupon  the  Central  Hundred  administered 
a  rebuke  to  the  county  attorm^y. 

^lore  strin-vnt  laws  rdatinu  to  hootleu-in;^-  and  -amhliny 
were  aitproA'cd  hy  the  peojdc  of  the  state  in  the  Au,L;ust  elec- 
tion and  (;o\ernor  Cruce  on  Sej)teml)er  Ki  issued  a  pro<-lii- 
mation  di'darini;-  them  in  tdfect.  During  the  remainder  of 
the  year  there  was  ])eace  and  the  uradnal  restoratioii  id'  u'ood 
will! 

By  a  breath-taking-  margin  the  eity  escaped  another  cap- 
ital campaign  this  year.  A  decision  >>f  the  Supreme  Court 
saved  them.  Ecpresentative  J.  E.  AA'yand  of  ^Muskogee  and 
Henry  Swearingcu  of  Guthrie,  it  will  be  recalled,  had  tiled 
with  the  secretary  of  state  a  petition  asldng  for  a  referendum 
to  the  people  of  the  last  act  of  the  Lcuisjatui-e  touching  the 
capital  issue.  The  constitution  ]iro\-iilcs  that  such  a  pt'tition 
must  be  filed  within  ninety  days  after  the  adjoui'nment  of 
the  session  of  the  Legislature  during  which  the  act  was  ]»assed. 
These  petitioners,  believing  that  the  session  had  been  otfudally 
terminated  on  July  5  timed  their  tiling  toward  the  extreme 
end  of  an  ensuing  luiiety-day  period.  Secretary  of  State  Beu- 
jannn  F.  Harrison  declined  to  act  upon  the  petition  and  the 
petitioners  appealed  to  the  Su})reme  Court.  That  tril)unal 
had  before  it  the  <iuestion  of  tlie  exact  and  legal  dat<'  of  the 
ad.iouiimient  of  the  Legislature.  The  court  was  shown  a  rec- 
ord of  tlie  House,  lun'ing  on  dune  o(>th  adojited  a  concurrent 
resolution  ]U'oviding  for  adjournment  until  -Inly  .").  and  a 
recoi'd  of  the  Senatt'  having  on  .July  1  ado}ited  the  icsohition. 
The  resohition  provided  that  should  there  not  be  a  quorum 
})resent  ou  July  o.  the  speak-ei'  of  the  House  and  the  ]ii-esident 
of  the  Senate  should  declare  the  session  adjourned  withoiU 
day.  The  court  held  that  the  Le-islature  was  without  auth'>r- 
ity  to  delegate  the  mattei'  id'  adjournnwnt  to  a  mimu-ity  and 
that  tlie  session  legally  ended  (,n  July  L  wluuvtore  the  filing 
of  the  capital  petition  fell  without  the  ninety-day  ]iei'iod. 

CharK's  F.  Colcord.  president  of  the  Chaml)er  (d'  Com- 
merce, issued  a  ]inblic  statement  on  ^lai-ch  17  adx'isinu  The 
people  that  the  city  was  behind  over  s'kI.OOO  in  collections 


T;ifi  -ii;.)-/    -"U"  .■.  .il<;  yt   t-^ 
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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  397 

to  pay  a  balauee  due  the  state  under  a  rental  and  expense 
agreement,  and  he  asked  Ma}"()r  (xrant  tu  proelaim  a  holiday 
that  solicitors  might  have  right  of  way  for  a  final  canvass. 
The  amount  was  raised  in  due  time  and  on  June  5,  State 
Treasurer  Dunlop  gave  Mv.  C'olcord  the  state's  official  receipt 
showing  the  debt  paid  in  full. 

With  appropriate  exei'cises  and  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
crowd  the  first  dirt  was  turned  in  construction  of  the  eapitol 
on  July  20.  Governor  Cruce,  who  made  an  address,  opened 
the  soil  with  a  pick  presented  to  him  by  J.  E.  O'Neil,  manager 
of  the  Richards  &  Conover  Hardware  Company,  and  'W.  B. 
Anthony,  chairman  of  the  eapitol  conmiission,  dug  deeper 
into  the  soil  with  a  silver  shovel  presented  to  him  by  the 
Simmons  Hardware  Company  of  St.  L(juis.  The  Chamber 
of  Connnerce  was  represented  by  Ed  S.  Vaught,  who  delivered 
the  second  address  of  the  day. 

Former  Justice  Jesse  J.  Dunn  of  the  Oklahoma  Supreme 
Court  came  from  his  California  home  in  August  with  author- 
ity to  speak  for  officials  of  the  Panama-Pacilic  Exposition 
Company  and  he  ui'gcd  Oklahoma  to  make  the  best  possible 
showing  at  San  Francisco.  On  December  8,  C.  H.  Russell, 
then  secretary-treasurer  of  the  Oklahoma  exposition  com- 
mission and  who  had  been  responsible  for  much  of  the  interest 
manifested,  resigned.  He  was  succeeded  by  ^Irs.  Fred  Sut- 
ton, one  of  the  organizers  of  the  company.  In  this  enterprise, 
as  in  many  another  since  the  founding  of  the  city,  ]\Irs.  Sut- 
ton concentrated  her  best  thought  and  effort. 

When  in  -Inly  the  Tax  Efficiency  League  discovered,  ac- 
cording to  its  best  lights,  that  the  city  government's  expense 
budget  for  the  ensuing  year  seemed  entirely  ti>o  liigli,  it  sent 
its  president.  Judge  B.  F.  Burwell.  to  cimfer  with  tlu'  maynr. 
J.  H.  Johnston,  an  official  of  the  league,  had  reported  that  the 
budget  totaled  !|'125,000  more  than  in  the  previous  year.  By 
reason  of  the  league's  insistence  some  reductions  were  ob- 
tained. One  of  the  oljjects  of  the  league,  which  had  been 
formed  l)ut  recently,  was  to  secui-e  an  amendment  to  the  city 
charter  to  create  the  office  of  city  manager.  A  committee 
a]ii)ointe(l  liy  Ju<lu('  r>iirwel]  to  ]>re)>are  amendments  consisted 
of  E.  H.  Cooke.  R.  A.  A'<.se,  C.  E.  I^ennett  4-  P.  :\rartin  and 
:\r.  D.  Scott.    The  object,  said  Mayor  Crant  in  a  pul)lic  state- 


In.  f: 


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.li;;..-t  V 


398  Tin-:  ST(inY  of  OKLAIlOilA  CITY 

uieut  expressing  his  disappi-Dval,  was  to  create  a  pnsitiun  for 
Mr.  Jolmstun. 

It  was  generally  ljelie\-e(l  at  this  tinu-  that  efforts  to  secure 
suflficieut  water  from  wells  to  sup])ly  the  city's  requirements 
were  doomed  to  failui'e,  and  this  l)elief  was  strengthened  on 
November  8  of  this  year  when  F.  11.  Xewell,  chief  vf  the 
United  States  Reclamation  Service,  ex})ressed  positive  dis- 
approval of  well  projects.  Mr.  Xewell  spent  the  day  here  as 
a  guest  of  City  Connnissioner  ^V.  H.  Hampton  and  Water 
Superintendent  J.  W.  Bennett  and  continued  his  journey  to 
Lawton  where  he  investigated  for  the  Government  the  moun- 
tain source  of  water  .sui)ply  for  that  city  and  Fort  Sill.  Ar- 
tesian wells  are  for  small  towns  and  not  for  cities,  he  said, 
and  he  pointed  out  that  Dallas  and  Denver  had  been  compelkHl 
to  seek  su^jplies  elsewhere.  The  ho})e  of  a  city,  he  said,  is 
in  the  storage  of  flood  water.  The  opinion  of  the  reclamation 
service  chief  was  responsible  in  large  measure  for  the  city 
later  securing  its  pei'manent  water  .supply  from  a  reservoir 
created  by  the  damming  and  dredging  of  the  North  Canadian 
River. 

Several  district  good  roads  associations  were  merged  this 
year  into  the  first  permanent  Oklahoma  Good  Roads  Associa- 
tion, of  which  ^y.  J.  Milburn  of  Johnston  County  and  later 
a  resident  of  the  city,  was  elected  president,  and  Alfred  Hare 
of  Oklahoma  City,  secretary.  The  sul)ject  of  good  roads  had 
been  an  abstract  one,  in  sjdte  of  tlie  efforts  of  I.  M.  Putnam, 
Mr.  Milburn  and  others  in  tlu'  Legislature  and  of  Col.  Sidney 
Suggs,  state  highway  conunissioner,  to  educate  the  public 
to  a|)]>)-cciate  advantages  of  improved  highways.  .More  or 
less  sporadic  efforts  at  state  organization  had  bt-eu  made  dur- 
ing the  ])i-eceding  few  years;  and  it  was  about  this  time  that 
motor-car  concerns,  which  had  been  carrying  on  an  unprece- 
dented business,  offered  encouragement  and  supjiort  to  the 
movement.  Delegates  from  \-arioiis  })arts  of  the  state  attended 
this  meeting,  and  they  were  welcimied  in  speeches  Ity  Presi- 
dent ColciU'd  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Mayor  Grant. 
Among  them  was  Col.  A.  X.  Lee<-raft,  afterwards  state  treas- 
urer. 

A  I'esolution  was  adopted  at  the  annual  nn'ctiiig  (>['  tlie 
stockholff.'i's  of  tlie  Oklahoma  State  Fair  Association  in  Xo- 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  401 

venibei-  autlioi-izinti-  the  clirectoi\s  to  increase  the  caijital  stuck 
from  $100,000  t(.)  $250,000.  The  fair  had  niaiutained  the  re- 
niarkal)le  growth  that  characterized  its  first  few  years  and 
had  become  beyond  jieradventui-e  a  pei'manent  and  necessary 
institution.  J.  F.  Warren  was  reelected  i»resident  and  0.  B. 
Stone,  vice  piesident.  and  1.  11.  Mahan,  secretary.  J.  ^l. 
Owen  was  elected  treasurer. 

Some  otlier  important  events  of  the  year  were  these :  Ehner 
E.  Brown,  a  pioneer  of  the  city,  an  early-day  publisher,  re- 
cently su])erseded  as  jiostnuister.  and  altogether  one  of  the 
city's  worthiest  and  most  progressive  citizens,  became  secre- 
tary of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce:  on  March  10,  Justice  R. 
L.  "Williams  I'esigned  from  the  Supreme  Court  to  enter  the 
race  for  governor  and  was  sueereded  by  Stihvell  H.  Russell 
of  Ardmorc  who  was  aiiiiointed  by  Covernor  Cruce,  the  new 
justice  serving,  however,  only  until  ^lay  IG,  when  he  died;  on 
April  14,  John  Fields  was  nominated  on  the  republican  ticket 
for  governor  and  Judge  John  H.  Bui'ford  for  United  States 
senator;  a  little  later  John  P.  Hickam  of  Stillwater  was  nomi- 
nated on  the  i»rogrcssive  ticket  for  governor  and  J.  ^M.  Morrow 
of  Oklahoma  City  for  lieutenant  governor;  in  the  Xoveml)er 
election.  Judge  AVilliams  was  chosen  governor,  E.  M.  Trapi^. 
lieutenant  governor,  T.  P.  Gore,  United  States  senator,  W. 
L.  Alexander,  state  treasurer,  E.  B.  Howard,  state  auditor, 
Frank  Oaidt,  iiresidcnt  of  the  state  bojird  of  agriculture.  A. 
L.  Welch,  state  insurance  cou"imi>:slouer,  William  Ashton, 
state  labor  counnissioner,  W.  J).  .Matthews,  couiniissioner  td' 
charities  and  correctious.  S.  P.  Fi'i'cling.  attorue}'  general, 
Ed  Boyle,  ehief  mine  ins]>cctor.  R.  H.  A\'ilson.  state  su])er- 
intendent  id'  cilueation,  Vwd  I'aikin^ou.  state  exanuner  and 
inspector,  J.  L.  Lyon,  secretary  of  state.  A.  ]*.  ^\'atson,  cor- 
poration coiumissioner,  W.  .M.  Franklin,  clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  Sunmiers  Hardy,  J.  F.  Sharp  and  d.  A.  Brown,  jus- 
tices of  the  Supreme  <  "ourt.  and  James  P.  Armstrong,  justice 
of  the  Crinnnal  Court  id'  Aiipeals.  On  August  18,  occurred 
the  death  of  J.  A.  J.  Baugus,  an  Fdnht^-niner  and  fiumer 
county  superiideiident  of  schools;  au<l  on  December  7.  oc- 
curi'e(l  the  death  of  <  'ol.  J.  A\'.  JoliH<un,  nunuci]ial  coinisellor. 
at  the  age  oi'  sixty-s('\-en.  his  death  marking  the  passage  of  a 
pronunent  and  useful  citizen.  sin<-e  the  founding  of  the  city. 


^•l  ■Mil  ).   /ij,.ii.:::;ri  iu:.!  •(i.;i  ■    i"       "^i  . 


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]915— PASSIXG  OF  PIONEEKS 

Three  of  the  city's  pioneers,  all  of  them  lueu  of  promi- 
nence, Avho  had  had  a  consjiiciious  part  in  commercial,  civic 
and  religious  progTess.  passed  away  during  the  year.  In  the 
matter  of  leadershii)  in  paramount  enteri)rises,  and  partieu- 
larh-  in  the  quality  of  executiveship,  Henry  Overholser  doubt- 
less was  the  chief  of  these.  The  others  were  Dr.  John  Thread- 
gill  and  Judge  H.  Y.  Thompson. 

Mr.  Overholser's  death  occurred  on  August  24,  after  a 
in-olonged  illness  that  caused  his  al)Solute  retireinent  from 
business.  He  was  one  of  less  than  a  dozen  men  of  '89,  ac- 
counted liusiness  leaders  of  the  early  years,  who  lived  through 
the  succeeding  quarter  century  and  retained  a  p(jsition 
among  the  leaders.  He  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1S46  and  had 
come  '\\'est  as  a  young  man.  As  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
the  city  he  l»uilt  the  first  hotel  and  the  tirst  theater.  To  him 
was  credited  tlie  tirst  suggestion  of  the  organization  of  a 
county  fair,  wliicli  was  the  initial  step  toward  organization 
of  the  State  Fair  Association.  He  was  one  of  the  pi'onioters 
of  the  (?]iamliei'  of  Commerce  which  succeeded  the  Oklahoma 
City  Club  and  his  was  the  first  name  written  on  the  member- 
.ship  roll. 

Representati\-c  men  of  the  city  were  gi'uuinely  devoti'd  to 
him  and  to  the  ]ioli<-ies  he  so  h-ug  ad\-ocatc(l.  and  tlu'ough 
tlu'Ui  was  I'cllected  a  city-wide  sentiment  of  regret  over  his 
demise.  Dr.  .1.  (i.  Strei't.  acting  for  the  alisi-nt  mayor,  issued 
a  j)roc]amatitin  asking  l»usiness  houses  and  offices  to  close  and 
that  flags  he  tiown  at  half  luast  during  the  period  of  tlie 
funeral.  l-]xercises  were  conducted  at  tlu'  Fii'st  Christian 
Church  by  the  l\c\-.  K.  C.  Van  Honi.  pastoi'.  The  i*allbcarers 
were  A.  H.  Cla-eu,  C.  F.  Colcord,  W.  J.  F.'ttee.  John  Fields. 
!<:.  H.  Cooke.  D.  F.  F.uiwcU.  F.  F.  F.rown.  F\  J.  Fdwards.  J. 
Ti.  'Wilkin  and  .7.  F.  AVarreu.  Api>ropriate  resolutions 
adoptc.l  l,y  the  Cliambei-  of  C<.uimerce  were  drafti<l  by  a 
4n:i 


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404  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

conunittee  euiisistiiiy  of  Ed  S.  ^'aug■llt,  IS.  L.  Brock.  J.  E. 
O'Xcil,  Eraiik  Wikott"  and  Jaiiius  C'lu-nowetli. 

Dr.  John  Thready  ill  died  ^lay  14.  He  was  not  a  pioneer 
of  Oklahoma  (_'ity,  as  i»ii)Ur(.Ts  were  designated  in  these  days, 
haviny  conu-  here  in  1901,  hut  lie  had  come  to  the  territory 
in  189.'),  six  years  after  the  oiK'ning.  Ilis  influence  as  a  citizen 
of  the  teiritory  was  kindred  to  that  of  the  metroixdis;  for 
the  lattej-  had  heen,  and  still  is.  so  inseparal>ly  a  part  of  the 
territory  that  it  would  he  impussihle  to  write  a  history  (d'  one 
without  drawing;'  lar,L;ely  njion  the  nmre  or  less  veneralde 
sources  (d'  the  other.  A  native  td'  X(Uth  ( 'arolina.  Dr.  Thread- 
gill,  after  sojonruing  for  a  few  years  in  Drenham  and  Taylor, 
Texas,  settled  in  Xorman.  Okla.,  in  1895,  and  estahlished  a  |. 

sanitarium.    xMthough  a  vt-teran  of  the  Confederacy,  he  was  1 

a  sincere  repuhlican  and  his  party  twice  sent  him  to  the  Ter- 
ritorial Council  (up})er  house  of  the  Legislature).  In  1905 
he  Avas  aiipniuted  a  nieniher  of  the  territorial  l)oard  of  edu-  j 

cation.    Coming  to  Oklahoma  T'it}'.  he  was  one  <d'  the  organ-  ■ 

izers  and  was  first  i)resident  of  the  Commercial  National 
Bank.    Later  he  was  a  director  of  the  State  Xational  Bank.  , 

In  1903  he  was  pi-esident  of  the  city  hoard  of  education.    At  j 

Second  and  Broadwa}'  he  liuilt  a  hotel  that  for  many  years  | 

))ori>  his  name.  Xews])a]»ers  of  that  day  syioke  of  the  strnc-- 
tuie  as  heing  one  (d'  the  tiuest  in  the  Soutlnvest.  He  was  in- 
tensely devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  veterans  of  the  Lost 
Cause  and  for  many  _\ears  his  was  a  fanuliar  tlgure  at  their 
state  and  national  i-eunious.  Ou  July  19th.  veterans  of  tlu^ 
state  as-enihled  at  St.  Luke's  Churcli  to  do  honor  to  his  mem- 
ory. Addn-ses  were  delivered  l)v  (lov.  Jl.  L.  William^.  Cen. 
D.'  M.  Dailey  of  .MeAlester  and  others. 

Judge  Thoui]ison.  who  in  the  pre\ious  autunui  election  had 
been  elected  comity  attorin^y.  died  on  A]iril  lt')th.  at  the  auc 
of  sixt\--t\V().  Althoiigh  a  I'ative  of  Ohio,  the  many  and  \aried 
scenes  of  hi<  career  lay  in  the  Middle  and  Farther  West.  Ue 
went  to  Portland,  <)regon.  as  a  >-oung  man.  stndii^:!  law  and 
se\-en  time-;  in  succe-^sion  was  electe;l  juosecuting  attorney  (d' 
that  c((nnt\-.  Later  for  se\-eral  years  he  was  attorne\-  for  the 
Ci-eat  Xoi'thern  Railwa\-  Coiupanv.  He  came  to  Oklahoma 
City  in  190:')  and  thereafter  wa^  active  in  imlilic  and  ]ii'o- 
fe-sioi'al  life.     In  1907  he  was  ]u-esident  of  the  Chamh-r  (d" 


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^OU  -    (^C'(^' 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  407 

Comniorce.  In  1913  he  was  assistaut  to  Cuunty  Attorney  D. 
K.  Pope  and  in  the  campaign  of  1914  defeated  Herbert  l*eek, 
the  democratic  nominee,  for  county  attorney. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  Capitol  was  laid  with  ^iasouic  and 
public  ceremony  on  Xovenilier  Kith,  the  eighth  anniversary 
of  the  advent  of  statehood.  A  jn'dclauiatiiui  (•(incerning  it  was 
issued  l»y  Governor  Williams  on  Xtivemher  9th  and  the  Cham- 
ber of  Connnerce  and  other  organizations  arranged  t(j  take 
part  in  the  exercises.  These  consisted  of  a  parade  initiated 
in  the  business  district  and  extended  to  the  Capitol  site. 
Masonic  ceremonies  led  by  E.  A.  ^btnroney,  most  worshipful 
grand  master  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  addresses  by  Governor 
AVilliams  and  Chief  Justice  M.  J.  Kane,  a  prayer  by  Bishop 
F.  K.  Brooke  and  a  song  entitled  "Oklahoma,''  by  the  Apollo 
Club.  The  occasion  warranted  a  partial  holiday  and  thou- 
sands of  persons  witnessed  the  ceremonies  and  heard  the  ad- 
dresses. 

Former  State  Senator  P.  J.  Goulding  of  Enid  was,  on 
March  23d,  elected  chairman  of  the  Capitol  Commission.  The 
governor  at  that  time,  showing  appreciation  of  tlie  vital  in- 
terest that  residents  of  tlie  city  entertained,  ai»i)(>inted  an 
advisory  committee  of  citizens  whose  duty  was  to  assist  the 
commission  in  the  selection  of  plans,  consideration  of  esti- 
mates and  the  awarding  of  contracts.  This  committee  con- 
sisted of  E.  K.  Gaylord,  Joseph  Iluckins  and  Ed  S.  Vaught 
of  Oklahoma  City  and  also  IT.  W.  Gil)son  of  :\[uskogee  and 
Thomas  Hale  of  ^IcAlester.  A  law  ])asse(l  ])y  the  Legislature 
early  in  tlie  year  provided  that  the  commission  should  meet 
only  on  call  of  the  chairman  or  of  the  governor.  In  June, 
the  commission,  with  consent  of  the  advisory  conunittee, 
awarded  a  contract  f<ir  construction  of  the  I)uilding  to  James 
Stewart  &  Company  of  Xcw  York,  the  contract  price  lieing 
slightly  over  $L5o6,000.  John  IL  Frederickson.  a  brother 
of  George  Frederickson  of  Oklahoma  City,  was  apjiointed 
construction  superintendent. 

The  chief  political  events  of  the  year  were  the  inaugura- 
tion of  Judge  Williams  as  go\ernor,  in  Avhich  the  city's  society 
participated,  and  the  election  and  inauguration  of  Edward 
O\'erholser  as  mayor.  The  Hi-st  appointment  made  by  the 
govei'uor  was  of  A.  X.  Leecraft  of  Coll)ert  as  his  secretary. 


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■';       ,:       ■     :;       ..:■:,         ■■■■     ,     r :  ,1.  „ !  ■:(    i^  >    ^O 

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-    —    .,   ..:■,   -Ir    !.'  id;-;    (!,,  V:!U. 

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408  THE  STOKY  OF  OKLAHOMA  (,'ITY 

J.  I>.  Lyuu  of  Oklahoma  City,  who  had  been  elected  secretary 
of  state  iarm'ly  through  the  iiilhience  of  orgauizations  of  trav- 
eliug  salesiiieii,  of  which  he  was  a  lueinber,  took  his  office  with 
other  state  officials  on  Janiiaiy  llth  and  selected  Charles 
-McCafferty,  former  treasnier  of  Oklahoma  County,  as  his 
chief  assistant. 

Governor  AVillianis  in  his  message  to  his  first  Legislature, 
which  convened  in  January,  recoumiended  an  appr<.)prialion 
of  .$5,000  for  paying  expenses  of  Oklahoma's  exhibit  at  the 
Panama-Pacitic  Exposition.  William  A.  Durant  introduced 
a  bill  appropriating  $(j,000  for  that  purpose.  It  was  passed 
by  the  House  but  rejected  by  the  Senate. 

^Ir.  Ovcrholser,  a  son  of  the  distinguished  pioneer,  Henry 
Ovei'holser,  was  elected  mayor  over  W.  D.  (iault,  the  deuKj- 
cratie  nominee.  Fifteen  years  earlier,  AV.  J.  Gault,  father  of 
this  candidate,  defeated  Henry  Overholser  for  mayor.  Mike 
Donnally  was  elected  connnissiouer  of  accounting  and  finance, 
defeating  Rol^ert  Parman,  the  reimblican  nominee,  and  Dr.  J. 
Ct.  Street  was  elected  eommissioner  of  public  property,  defeat- 
ing H.  G.  Eastman,  late  jjostmaster,  the  repuljlican  nominee. 
J.  B.  Norton  was  the  independent  nominee  for  mayor  and 
W.  R.  Gallion,  the  socialist  nominee. 

Byron  I).  Shear  was  selected  by  the  mayor  as  mimicipal 
counsellor  to  succeed  Judge  AV.  P.  Taylor,  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed as  the  successor  of  the  late  Col.  J.  "W.  Johnson.  Mr. 
Shear,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  AViscoiisin,  had  been 
clerk  of  the  United  States  District  Court  imdcr  Judge  B. 
F.  Burwell  from  1S98  to  statehood  and  since  that  time  had 
practiced  his  ]>rofession.  On  recommendation  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  l)a)il<cis,  business  men  and  professional  men.  John  E. 
Dickson  was  appointed  city  treasurer.  Loyal  J.  ]\Iiller  suc- 
ceeded 0.  L.  Price  as  nnuncipal  judge,  and  AV.  B.  Nichols 
was  named  chief  of  police. 

A  niardi  gras  ball  was  the  important  feature  of  the  enter- 
tainment of  the  Eighty-niners  Association  this  year,  and  pre- 
ceding it  was  the  annual  banquet.  Governor  Williams  and  his 
staff  attended  tlu^  festivities  and  the  governor  crowned  the 
queen  of  the  ball,  Miss  Caroline  Colcord,  who  had  ])een  se- 
lected foi'  tile  hdUnr  in  a  ]io]iularity  cdute-^t  cnndui'tecl  Iiy 
the  Women  of  Eightv-niue.    Tlie  king,  her  attendant,  was  Eu- 


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:  .  'i..'  .(    (Si    ■•!(,'    ''.jU  ,  .  ...    ,1  ill'  rOt 

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.   i.lHWi:  a       vi  P   -.Ml  ■;;     jiliM,   L-i,ii.j.;i;,'i 
^i  V---         it     ;n    \y  i  :i,J    ^'|)-t|    Out    ■■■}} 


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||;./1    (-  ;■■-,. 1-7/   ■u\l 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  409 

gene  AVliittiugtoii.  Officers  elected  by  the  as.sueiatinii  were  C. 
F.  Culeurd,  president,  ^V.  O.  Clnirch,  vice  president,  A.  L. 
Welch,  secretary,  and  Fred  8uttun.  tieasnrer.  directors  were 
J.  M.  Owen,  J.  J.  Weitzel,  A.  H.  Classen  and  W.  J.  Pcttee. 

The  war  in  Eurdiie,  winch  Ije.t^an  in  the  [)re\i<ius  year,  was 
spreading-  its  tentacK's  a<-i'iiss  tlie  seas,  and  in  Oldaliunia  City, 
as  everywhere  else  in  the  Nation,  prcjiartMlness  was  a  toi)ic  of 
important  disenssiou.  President  '\\'ils(in  in  Deccinher  issued 
a  statement  favoring  some  form  and  nieasnre  of  prepared- 
ness. The  Women  of  Eighty-nine  was  the  first  organization 
in  the  state  to  ex^jress  an  opinion  on  the  subject.  It  adopted 
a  resolution  and  forwarded  a  copy  to  the  President  and  to 
each  member  of  the  Oklahoma  delegation  in  Congress  in  which 
it  asserted  that  "as  mothers  and  wives  we  abhor  and  deplore 
war  in  all  its  details;  we  are  loath  to  give  up  our  husl:)ands 
and  sons  for  cannon  f<Hlder;  but  if  compelled  to  defend  our 
country  and  our  homes,  we  demand  such  a  measure  of  pre- 
j)aredness  as  will  give  them  the  fighting  chance  to  which  they 
are  entitled." 

Oklahoma  women  had  for  ten  years  been  as  forward  in 
literary  and  civic  enterprises  as  had  women  of  the  other  states, 
but,  with  a  few  exceptional  instances,  they  had  sought  little 
recognition  in  public  affairs.  They  had  been  content  prin- 
cipally with  fostering  civic  pride  through  the  planting  of  trees 
and  the  beautifying  of  parks  and  with  the  conduct  of  the 
public  schools  and  the  chui-ches  and  the  l)uilding  and  oper- 
ation of  the  ]uil)lic  lil)rary.  Several  efforts  to  create  a  state- 
'wide  interest  in  woman  suffrage  had  failed,  although  a  fi'W 
faithful  ones  in  the  cause  never  let  the  fires  l)urn  low.  Put 
the  city  had  now  l)ecome  a  ])layground  (d'  joyriders  and  a 
center  oi  i)icture-show  enthusiasm  and  festivities.  Jazz  had 
not  been  defined  but  its  symptoms  had  been  experienced  in 
their  incipiency.  The  women  were  the  first  to  sense  the  need 
of  reform  in  the  character  of  pictures  exhibited,  and  when 
*'Inspirati(m"  was  flashed  upon  the  screen  and  became  the 
subject  of  street-corner  conversation,  they  organized,  under 
direction  of  the  Women's  Christian  Teuiperant^e  Union,  and 
marched  u])on  the  city's  cniutol.  They  asked  Afayor  Overhol- 
ser  to  a}>point  a  censor  board.  Tlie  mayor  replied  that  he 
hiniself  would  lie  censor,  and  he  had   an   ordinance   passed 


■  L  ../^      v:i.j   -..r/  ..tViU.n    <;     •■ 

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410  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

granting-  him  that  authority  and  i'tirlii(hling  tne  exhil)itioii  of 
pictures  cak-uhited  to  corrupt  public  or  private  morals.  The 
mayor  fared  forth  upon  a  new  mission.  The  first  exercise 
of  authority  took  place  on  the  east  side  where  he  barred  "In- 
spii-ation"  from  a  negro  picture  house. 

The  new  Ijoard  of  directors  of  the  Chamber  of  Conunerce 
in  January  chose  E.  Iv.  Gaylord,  president;  Ed  S.  Vaught, 
vice  president;  R.  J.  Edwards,  second  vice  president,  and  i). 
W.  ITogan,  treasurer.  ^Ir.  (Jaylord  announced  that  he  had 
in  mind  a  year  of  get-acquaiuted  activities,  and  these  he  ac- 
counted of  as  great  moment  as  efforts  to  secure  enterprises 
of  the  equal  of  the  packing  plants  and  the  state  capitol.  Owing 
to  the  call  of  business  that  kept  him  out  of  the  city  for  sev- 
eral months,  Mr.  Gaylord  resigiied  on  Xoveml)er  1st  and  the 
directors  elected  ^Ir.  Vaught  to  serve  out  the  unexpired  term. 
At  the  regular  December  meeting  for  tliat  purpose  a  new 
board  of  directors  for  the  ensuing  year  was  chosen,  consisting 
of  E.  H.  Slack,  AVilliimi  Mee,  E.  S.  Malone,  Fred  S.  Gum,  1. 
S.  :\lalian,  ]-:d  S.  Vaught,  R.  A.  Vose.  G.  A.  Xichols,  G.  G. 
Kerr  and  .T.  ]M.  Bass. 

Since  Oklahoma  City  had  been  awarded  the  capital  and 
had  received  a  large  vote  over  the  eastern  part  of  the  state, 
^luskogee,  then  the  leading  city  of  the  east  side,  felt  that 
Oklahoma  City  shiiuld  not  begrudge  it  the  honor  of  l)eing 
the  seat  of  a  State  Fair  recognized  by  law  and  supported  by 
appropriations  of  the  Legislature.  Directors  of  the  State 
Fair  Association  had  not  asked  recognition  of  the  Legisla- 
ture nor  had  the  Chamljer  of  Commerce,  Imt  ))oth  this  year 
found  themselves  facing  a  fight  to  prevent  Muskogee  getting 
recognition  l)y  the  state.  The  fight  was  i)rovoked  l)y  a  l>ill 
introduced  in  the  House  by  Tvcjiresentative  X.  13.  IMaxey  <d' 
!^^uskog(■e  which  ]:iroi)osed  ofHcial  recognition  of  a  fair  con- 
ducted at  ^[uslvogee  and  making  a])propriations  for  buildings 
and  to  pay  premiums.  The  bill  failed  of  passage,  but  that  was 
not  by  any  means  the  end  of  Muskogee's  efforts :  indeed,  she  in 
later  years  was  rewarded  with  a  UK.-asure  of  victory. 

Claude  Weaver,  whose  term  as  a  member  of  ("ongress  ex- 
]>ired  Marcli  -Ith,  was  app.iinted  iHistmasfcr  to  succeed  U.  G. 
Eastman  who  sulmiitted  his  rcsignati<iii  on  Fdiniary  17th. 
Mr.  Weaver  was  installed  on  A]»ril  1st.     Snmc  other  apjioiiit- 


ou> 


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EPWORTH   METHOULST   tllUllCU    (ORICIN'AIJ.Y    K1'\\0KTH    L'XI\"K1!S1TV) 


■■■}     I 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  41:5 

niciit.s  ot  the  year  were  these:  J.  1).  Lankt'ord,  wlio  was  state 
bank  commissioner  during  the  administration  of  Uovernor 
Cruce,  was  reappointed  by  Governor  Williams;  W.  K.  kSamuel 
of  Vinita,  who  later  for  a  mimber  of  years  was  secretary  of 
tlie  Oklahoma  Bankers  Association  in  Oklahoma  City,  was 
appointed  a  nn'Hiher  of  the  state  banking  l)oard;  A.  L.  AValker, 
who  later  was  a  member  of  the  corporation  conunission,  was 
appointed  chairman  of  the  state  election  board;  John  Embry, 
of  Central  ILundred  fame  and  who  had  Ijecn  United  States 
district  attorney,  was  appointed  county  attorney  for  the  un- 
expired term  of  the  late  II.  Y.  Thompson;  E.  J.  Edwards,  for 
some  years  one  of  the  leading  l^ond  dealers  of  the  state,  was 
elected  president  of  the  city  board  of  education;  Dr.  LeRoy 
Long  of  McAlester,  who  sul)Sequently  was  a  representative 
physician  of  the  city,  was  a]Ji)(iinted  dean  of  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  State  University,  succeeding  Br.  C.  R.  Day 
of  Oklalioma  City. 

Other  outstanding  events  of  the  yi'ar  included  these:  It 
was  announced  in  January  that  l>ank  deposits  on  the  first  of 
the  year  had  totaled  .$111,000,000.  an  increase  of  twenty  per 
cent  over  the  total  of  that  date  in  tlie  preceding  year:  a  pro- 
posed bond  issue  of  -$240,000  for  water  extensions  was  de- 
feated June  l.ltli;  on  June  27th,  it  was  announced  that  Dr. 
R.  A.  Cliase  was  to  retire  as  pastor  of  the  First  .Methodist 
Church  and  that  his  successor  would  ho  Dr.  I.  F.  Roach  of 
Madison,  Wis.,  to  wliosc  pulpit  Doctor  Chase  had  l>een  as- 
signed; on  July  ITtli.  the  Stale  Xational  Dank  absorlx-d  the 
City  State  r>ank  and  W.  D.  ( 'ahlwdl  ,,r  the  latter  was  clc-Tcd 
a  vice  president  of  the  foi'mer.  and  among  tlie  new  dii-cctors 
of  the  State  National  was  K.  AV.  Sinclair  of  Tulsa:  Justice 
G.  A.  Brown  of  the  Sujircine  (.'ourt.  one  of  the  ablest  law- 
yers and  jurists  of  the  state,  (liecl  eu  October  2."')th  and  his  bod\- 
was  sent  to  Manguiu.  his  home,  for  burial,  and  (Jovernor 
Williams  appointed  ( 'harles  M.  Tha<-ker  of  .Mangum  to  till  the 
vacancy. 

Henry  Overholser  was  ])orn  A]>ril  20,  IS-lti,  on  a  farm  near 
Dayton,  Ohio,  where  his  chil(llioo(l  nnd  youth  were  sjteiit.  In 
his  young  manhood  he  s]ient  se\-er;\l  years  in  Indiana,  after 
which  he  settled  at  Ashland,  ^Vis..  wheiv  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness.   He  came  to  Oklahoma  Citv  when  the  connti'v  was  first 


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414  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHO-MA  CITY 

opeufd  to  si'ttlenicnt,  briii^j^iii.Li'  sovei'al  carloads  of  building 
material  with  wliieli  a  iininIxT  of  small  frame  business  struc- 
tures were  erected.  From  the  first  he  was  recognized  as  a 
leader  in  the  affairs  of  the  new  connnunity,  where  his  keen, 
shrewd  business  judgment  often  helped  to  tide  over  times  (,)f 
troubles  and  i)er})lexity.  One  day  in  July,  lS9o.  two  of  the 
four  banks  in  Oklahoma  City  closed  their  doors  and  a  heavy 
run  soon  started  on  a  third  bank.  .Mr.  Overholser  was  one  of 
the  bondsmen  of  the  territorial  treasurer.  He  hurried  to 
Guthrie  and  demanded  every  dollai-  in  the  treasury  for  deposit 
in  the  distressed  bank.  The  treasurer  had  only  $5,000,  which 
was  on  deposit  in  the  (iuthrie  l)anks.  It  was  drawn  out  in 
silver  and  gold  coins  and  placed  in  sacks.  Other  ctdu  sacks 
were  tilled  with  ii-on  washers.  When  ^Ir.  Overholser  returned 
to  Oklahoma  ( 'ity  he  was  acconii)anied  by  four  or  live  men, 
each  carrying  two  heavy  sacks.  The  first  of  the  sacks  to 
reach  tlie  paying  teller's  window  wi're  opened  and  the  yellow 
and  white  coins  rolled  out  in  2)]ain  sight,  with  the  result  that 
the  line  of  anxious  depositors  melted  away  almost  instantl.w 
"When  he  was  elected  a  nieinl)er  of  the  l)oard  of  comity  com- 
missioners of  Oklahoma  Comity  in  1894,  county  warrants 
weri'  being  sold  at  40  cents  on  the  dollar.  As  the  result  of 
his  vigorous  insistence  and  management  they  were  soon  selling 
at  ])ar.  During  his  last  years  Mr.  Overholser  was  president 
of  the  State  Fair  Association,  to  the  affairs  of  Avhich  he  de- 
voted much  time  and  ]»ei'sonal  attention,  thus  insuring  the 
success  of  th<'  enter])!  ise.  lie  died  at  Oklalioma  City,  August 
25.  1915.— 1'liobui-n. 


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1916— THE  FOOD  STRIKERS 

Because  of  the  A\'(irl(l  war,  food  productiou  had  so  slack- 
ened in  Europe  tliat  it  l)ecame  necessary  for  the  United  States 
to  furnish  a  large  part  not  only -of  the  food  that  soldiers 
required  but  that  of  women  and  children  and  other  non- 
combatants.  Enormous  ex-jjorts  of  food  to  Eurojie  l)y  virtue 
of  the  law  of  economy  produced  gradually  rising  prices  of 
food  in  this  country.  So  rapidly  did  the  prices  mount  in 
some  instances  that  housewives  l)elieved  merchants  were  prof- 
iteering. In  Oklahoma  City  they  l^elieved  it,  and  they  told 
the  merchants  so.  The  merchants  made  stout  denial  but  stout 
denial  did  not  affect  the  skyrocketing  living-expense  account. 

Three  hundred  women  attended  a  mass  meeting  at  the 
Congregatiniial  ('luirdi  the  evening  of  l)eceml)er  ^'d.  It  was 
a  meeting  of  }trotest  and  to  devise  ways  and  means  of  (Mitting 
expenses  and  of  assisting  the  poor  who  could  not  pay  high 
prices  for  food  and  clothes.  It  was  ]iresidt'd  nwr  Ijy  ]Mrs. 
R.  M.  Campbell,  jiresident  of  the  City  Federation  of  Clubs. 
and  it  was  addressed  )>}■  Sidney  L.  Ijrock  and  Mont  R.  Powell. 
Mr.  Brock  dwelt  upon  the  neeessit}'  of  ]>ractieing  (M^onomy. 
^fr.  Powell  ui-ged  tlie  wom<'n  to  enter  inti 
]i]'otiteering.  Mi's.  Caniiibell  asked  the  w 
in  a  movement  to  aid  the  poor. 

The  Housewives"  League  UK't  on  Decei 
])resent.  At  this  meeting  was  initiated 
movement  in  Oldahoma  toward  the  prai-ti 
food  needs  and  the  practice  of  conscr\-ing  fi 
for  tlu'  Allies  in  France.  The  members  agreed  to  eat  fewer 
l)otatoes  and  fewei'  egus.  Miss  Louis.'  Hopkins,  head  <.f  the 
domestic  science'  dei>artmeiit  of  the  Central  State  Xoi-mal 
School,  at  Edniond.  a-iecd  to  furnish  a  list  of  substitute  foods 
for  those  denied.  ]\liss  Leiio  Osborne,  an  ex]u'rt  in  llie  domes- 
tic science  art.  agreed  to  furnish  menus  for  simple  ami  whole- 
some meals.  Simplicity  in  foods  was  the  watchword.  Mrs. 
41.-) 


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416  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY 

M.  E.  ReyiKilds,  chainium  <if  the  pliilanthnipic-  citnunitter  of 
the  City  Federation,  discussed  the  wages  vi  the  poor  and 
asked  for  assistance  in  distributing  food  and  clothing  to  the 
needy.  Such  meetings  as  these  awakened  tlie  peoiiic  to  a 
fuller  realization  of  conditions  facing  civilization,  and  tlicii- 
intluence  was  extended  and  widened  until  it  became  a  powei  in! 
and  patriotic  force  in  the  days  of  sterner  realities  when  Auici- 
ica  joined  the  Allies  in  the  greater  figlit  for  civilization. 

AVhile  the  women  iml)ued  with  the  idea  of  food  economic-^ 
began  their  work  in  an  organized  way  this  year,  another  body 
of  women  completed  the  foundation  of  a  structure  that  wa.s 
to  become  a  succor  to  the  poor  and  unfortunate  and  a  i»lai-c 
of  refuge  and  comfort  to  the  worthy  l)ereft,  dowii  into  otliei' 
generations.  This  body  was  known  as  the  Conuuunity  Club, 
and  its  members  and  the  Rev.  "W.  H.  B.  Urch,  then  ])astor  <>l' 
the  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church,  erected  on  the  south  side 
what  was  called  the  Pilgrim  Community  House.  It  wa<  de  li- 
cated  on  December  8th  with  appropriate  exercises  duiiu- 
which  addresses  were  made  by  Mayor  Overholser  and  Col.  A. 
X.  Leecraft  who  represented  Governor  Williams.  The  club 
was  short  $5,000  of  the  amount  necessary  to  pay  all  debts  ot 
the  enterprise,  and  on  the  day  of  the  dedication  a  douation 
of  that  amount  was  made  by  B.  B.  Jones,  a  wealthy  oil  man. 
]\rrs.  Ed  Overholser  was  president  of  the  club,  Mrs.  15.  1!. 
Jones,  vice  i>resident,  and  Mrs.  Frank  P.  Johnson,  secrt'tar>'. 

It  was  a  year  of  big  philanthropy.  A  fund  of  .-t^oOO,! )! lO 
was  subscribed  with  which  to  erect  and  equip  a  building  for 


the  Young  'Mvu'^  Christian  Association.     The  ente 

rprisc  ai- 

l)eale(l  to  A'irtually  all  the  peo]»le  and.  although  soi 

ne  .lays  of 

hard  work  were  allotted  toward  the  end  of  the  ca 

mjiaimi  to 

subsci  iptiou-taking   coinniittees,    some    of   the   city 

•s   l)i-u.-~r 

hearted  aiul  wealthiest  men  booked  themselves  for  .- 

ail)stanrial 

donations.     For  instance,  a  conunittee  of  iiiueteei 

1  men.  the 

first  that  was  lu-ganized  for  solicitatioii  i)uri)oses. 

at  its  tir-t 

meeting  made  each  a  subs.-i'iption  of  .<2..")0().     These 

men  wci-c 

A.  J.  :^b-.Mahau.   1).  T.  Johnston,  (i.  (i.  Kerr.  K. 

A.    Klcin- 

Schmidt,  Ceoi'ge  (i.  SoliHierg.  C.  C.  Roberts.  E.  15. 

.M(dviHip. 

A.    n.    Classen.    Walter    Caldwell,    Kd    Overliolsei 

■.    Edward 

A'aught,  J.  11.  l':verest.  Leon  Le\y.  C.  15.  Ames.  S. 

S.  Siiiitii, 

Allen  Street,  J.  E.  (VXeil.  Henry  Iloffman  and  S. 

M.  (i!..yd. 

'(   -Ml]    1"   ilUU' 


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RESIDKXCE   OF   C.   P.    SITE> 


THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  -119 

This  (;(>iimuttct''s  activities  were  directed  l)y  an  executive  wm- 
iiiittee  seleetetl  duriiiLi  a  mass  meeting  held  on  October  29th. 
This  couunittee  consisti'd  of  A.  J.  MeMahan,  G.  G.  Kerr, 
Georye  G.  Sohlljerg.  C.  C.  Rolicrts  and  R.  A.  Klcinsehmidt. 
The  original  program  eoutemiihited  the  raising  of  $250,000, 
but  at  a  l)anqnet  of  the  workers  hehl  on  Xovemljer  25th,  which 
was  attended  by  700  persons,  it  was  agreed  that  $300,000  should 
be  raised.  During  this  banquet  there  reappeared  some  of  that 
singular  brand  of  Oklahoma  enthusiasm  and  while  it  lield 
the  audience  witli  its  thrill  R.  J.  Edwards  announced  that  he 
would  make  a  further  dnnatinn  of  .■f:lO,000.  Then  pioneers 
came  to  the  fcuv  again.  An  Eiglity-Xiner  of  the  hickory  Ijleud 
appears  never  tn  have  met  defeat.  Charles  F.  Colcord  and 
Anton  H.  Classen  arose  simultanet'usly  and  announced  addi- 
tions of  $5,000  each  to  their  subscrii)tions.  Possibly  there 
were  others  equally  large.  The  fund  was  i-aised  in  due  time 
and  it  constructed  one  of  the  tinest  Y.  ^I.  C.  A.  buildings  in 
the  Southwest. 

The  chief  municipal  enterprise  of  the  year  was  the  voting 
of  bonds  totalling  one  and  one-half  million  dollars  to  be  used 
in  creating  a  water  reservoir  a  few  miles  northwest  (jf  the  city 
and  extending  the  water  system.  The  issue  was  voted  ou  May 
20th.  Plans  for  this  great  enterprise  were  drawn  by  Guy  Y. 
McClure,  city  engineer,  and  they  were  approved  l)y  competent 
engineers  of  St.  Louis,  Chicago  and  Hou.ston.  They  provided 
in  the  main  for  the  construction  of  a  dam  and  the  creation  of 
a  storage  basin  capable  of  holding  six  billion  eight  luuidred 
million  gallons  of  Avater.  At  that  tinn-  the  amount  of  water 
works  bonds  outstanding  was  $1,210.01)0. 

It  was  either  in  evidence  nv  imagined  by  I'cqu-esentative 
iiiem])ers  of  the  Chamber  of  Connnercc  early  in  the  year  that 
the  organization's  \-itality  was  abnormally  lnw  and  that  its 
activities  were  draggy.  Quite  ])ro1nilily  it  was  exi)eriencing  a 
necessary  reaction  following  the  great  accom])]ishn\ents  of 
the  two  preceding  }'cars.  The  assumption  apiioarcd  to  ])e  con- 
tagious and  on  June  llth  the  Imard  of  dii'cctdrs  announced 
its  intention  of  resigning  in  a  l)iidy  '"in  Ix'half  of  an  expansion 
movement."  The  movement  was  set  going  at  oiicc  after  the 
resignations  were  in.  l?ep  couniiittccs  wt^re  set  to  work  under 
a  new  |)r()gram  and  nu  July  llth  the  nieml»ei-sliip  comiuittt'e 


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420  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  t'lTV 

iX'I)(»i-ted  that  it  had  ()I)tained  1,800  ineiubi'i's,  and  at  uiie  of 
those  L-harac-tc'ii.stic  onward  and  npward  nieetiuys  set  its  goal 
at  2,000  nienil)crs.  At  a  hiter  meeting  the  new  organization 
elected  a  board  of  directors  consisting  of  Ed  S.  Vanght,  J.  E. 
0  'Xeil,  G.  Ct.  Kerr,  Joseph  Huekius,  S.  L.  Brock,  0.  F.  Col- 
cord,  Ed  Overlidlser,  A.  H.  Classen.  G.  G.  Sohlberg,  AVilliam 
Mce,  E.  B.  .McKillii)  and  Dr.  Pliil  C.  Baii-d.  Tlie  board  re- 
elected ]\lr.  Yaught  presidt-nt. 

A  revolution  in  ^lexico  tliat  resulted  in  depredations  be- 
ing committed  on  soil  of  the  United  States  caused  an  invasion 
of  ]\Icxico  this  year  by  American  troops  under  leadei-ship  of 
Gen.  John  J.  Pershing,  and  in  this  invasion  soldiers  of  the 
Oklahoma  National  Guard  participated.  The  mobilization 
order  of  the  AVar  Department  was  issued  June  ISth.  It  called 
for  concentration  of  Oklahoma  troops  at  Chandler.  Col. 
Roy  Hoffman  of  the  Oklahoma  regiment  proceeded  to  pre- 
pare the  camp  at  Chandler  and  Adjt.-Geu.  Frank  Canton  to 
set  the  troops  in  motion.  Recruits  were  called  for  and  an 
intensive  drilling  was  under  way  innnediately.  Before  any 
men  were  sent  to  Chandler  the  War  Department  changed  its 
order  and  connnanded  that  the  guardsmen  be  mobilized  at 
Fort  Sill.  On  June  24th  the  first  troop  train  mo\ed  out  of 
Oklahoma  City  bearing  all  men  and  olficers  of  the  (Companies 
of  the  guard  in  the  city.  1  )>  iwn  to  that  date  the  demonstrati<  m 
was  the  greatest  ever  held  in  the  city.  Twelve  thousand  per- 
sons assembled  and  listened  to  a  patriotic  speech  l>y  President 
Yaught  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

Governor  Williams  on  June  28th  i.ssucd  a  rail  tor  volun- 
teers for  tlie  National  <iuard.  indicating  that  seven  hundred 
to  eight  hundred  abh'-lxidied  men  were  needed  for  training. 
On  July  8th  it  was  announced  from  Fort  Sill  tliat  Maj.  Charles 
Bari'ctt  of  the  first  ])attalion  and  Maj.  AVinHeld  Scott  of  tlie 
third  battalion  were  found  physically  unfit  for  border  serv- 
ice. On  July  IDth  the  troo])s  entrained  at  Fort  Sill  for  the 
^Mexican  border.  The  ])ati'iotic  celebration  on  July  4th  this 
year,  held  at  Belle  Isle,  was  a  genuine  demonstration  of  Amer- 
ican jiatriotism  and  ineidentally  it  was  a  reeord-lncaking 
patriotie  event  of  a  decade.  AuK.ng  the  speakers  wei'e  :Mi'. 
Yaught.  r',.1.  llai-rv  W.  Pentecost,  Col.  A.  N.  Leecraft  and 
Capt.  H.  IT.  Ilarrelson. 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY  421 

All  ilhisti-atioii  of  the  tnitli  of  tlic  provcrl)  that  all  q:vQat 
bodies  move  slowly  may  ))e  disrovered  in  diseiissious  of  this 
year  on  the  subject  of  a  uiiidii  railway  station  for  the  city. 
On  March  6tli,  the  corporation  commission  issued  an  order 
commanding  the  Rock  Island  and  Frisco  railway  companies 
to  erect  a  union  jjasseiigci-  station,  and  directing  that  their 
engineers  snl)uiit  plans  for  the  station  by  June  ]st  and  that 
the  station  ))e  completed  l)y  January  1,  1917.  Othcials  of  the 
companies  announced  that  they  had  plans  in  the  making  for 
a  seven-story  station  and  office  biulding  to  cost  al)out  seven 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  On  Octolier  10th,  Commissioner 
George  A.  Henshaw  reported  that  the  commission  had  granted 
the  railroads  an  extension  of  time  to  Septemljer  1st  and  that 
the  commission  would  not  tolerate  a  delay  longer  than  De- 
cember 1st.  Meantime  engineers"  ])lans  had  b(M'ii  approved  by 
Maj'or  Overholser  on  behalf  of  the  city  and  the  roads  had 
selected  the  original  site  of  the  Frisco  passenger  station  for 
the  union  passenger  station.  The  commission  finally  granted 
the  roads  until  July  1.  1917.  ti>  com])lete  the  station.  Tn  later 
years  union-station  matters  again  bccaiuc  topics  of  discussion, 
but  great  bodies  still  were  ino\iiig  slowly  at  the  end  of  1921 
and  the  city  still  was  without  a  union  station  and  still  suffer- 
ing the  inconvenience  of  grade  crossings. 

In  later  years  George  Kessler.  noted  landscape  architect 
of  St.  Louis,  took  a  ])art  in  railroad  station  and  city-planning 
discussions.  It  Avas  in  Octol)er  of  this  year  that  Mr.  Kessler 
made  his  first  visit  to  Oklahoma  City.  lie  came  on  im-itation 
of  the  ]iark  commission  to  m;il-;('  ]ilaiis  foi-  lading  out  and 
Ix'autifying  Ilarn  Park  in  the  llai-ndalc  Addition,  and  ho 
advised  making  ])lans  for  a  lai-ucr  pai-kiiiLi,-  system  and  boule- 
vards. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  I']iL;hty-Xini'i's  Association 
it  was  announced  that  dui'ing  the  >far  twcnty-tive  memliers 
had  died.  The  meeting  Avas  well  attended  and  special  ad- 
drosses  Avere  delivered  liy  ( 'laude  \\'ea\('r  and  , Indue  l'r(  ston 
S.  Davis  of  Yinita.  Xew 
A.  L.Wehdi.].ivsi.h'nt:  Jo] 
Richardson.  Jr.,  secretary: 
:\ronAvell,  J.  L.  W'yatt,  A. 
directors. 


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422  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAllO-MA  CITY 

State  officers  elected  this  year  were  Cainpljell  Russell,  cor- 
poration ctimniissiouer,  defeating  J.  L.  Browu,  the  republicau 
uomiuee;  AV.  D.  Humphries,  cori)ui-ati<ju  coimnissioner,  who 
had  beeu  apjiointed  by  Go\eriior  A\'illiains  to  succeed  A.  P. 
Watson  on  the  conuuission;  Matthew  J.  Kane,  member  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  defeating-  Horace  Speed,  the  reijul)licau 
nominee ;  C.  ]\i.  Thacker,  member  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and 
T.  H.  Doyle,  member  of  the  Criminal  Court  of  Appeals. 
Joseph  B.  Thompson  of  Pauls  Valley  defeated  G.  li.  Dodson 
of  Oklahoma  City  for  Congress  from  the  Fifth  District. 

This  year  marked  the  beginning  of  interstate  and  con- 
tinental highway  movements  in  this  section  of  the  country, 
and  among  the  leading  projects  affecting  Oklahoma  City 
directly  was  that  of  Col.  AV.  H.  Harvey  of  Monte  Xe,  Ark., 
general  manager  of  the  Ozark  Trails  Association.  That 
association  held  a  convention  here  on  Xovember  20th,  at  tlie 
conclusion  of  a  cami)aign  for  raising  a  fund  of  $10,000  that 
was  retjuired  of  the  city  by  the  association.  A  local  motorists' 
club  had  beeu  organized  here  and  its  influence  was  in  a  large 
measure  responsible  for  the  city  ]>ecoming  an  objective  point 
on  the  Ozark  Trail.  Of  this  chib  George  G.  Sohlberg  was 
president. 

Judge  Seh\yn  Douglas,  a  highly  esteemed  pioneer  and  an 
influential  resident  of  earlier  years,  died  on  June  28th,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-flve.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the  University  of 
]Michigan  and  began  practising  law  in  Kansas,  moving  to 
Oklahoma  City  in  ]890.  He  was  for  five  years  receiver  of  the 
United  States  Land  Office  and  later  was  referee  in  bank- 
ruptcy. He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Public  Library 
Association  and  was  its  first  president. 

The  death  of  Judge  13.  F.  Burwell  took  place  this  year 
also,  on  April  2d.  He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1866  and 
came  to  Oklahoma  City  in  1891  as  a  law'  partner  of  Dr.  A.  C. 
Scott.  In  1898  he  was  appointed  associate  justice  of  the  Ter- 
rit()rial  Sui)reme  Court,  a  position  he  held  until  the  advent  of 
statehood,  when  he  Ijccame  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Bur- 
well,  Crockett  ct'  Johnson.  Xo  decision  of  his  while  he  occu])ied 
the  ])encli  ever  was  reversed  by  the  United  States  Supreme 
Court.  Vii-tually  the  entire  city  mourned  his  death.  At  his 
funeral  Judi;e  C.  B.  Stuart  delivered  the  memorial  address. 


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THE  STORY  OF  OKLAIIO.MA  CITY  423 

Auother  death  of  the  year  was  that  of  Joseph  C.  :\LcClel- 
laud,  former  state  auditor  and  at  tliis  time  vice  president  of 
the  Tradesman's  State  J]anlv,  of  which.  In-  was  one  of  the 
fomiders.  lie  was  tifty-ninc  ^cars  ohi,  and  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri. He  came  to  Oklalioiua  in  1S9;*>.  Jie  engaged  in  the 
banking  business  at  I'ond  Creek  and  while  tliere  was  for  four 
yeai's  clerk  of  tlie  Unite(l  States  Court.  ()n  proclamation  of 
the  governor  all  state  departments  wei'e  closed  during  the 
funeral.  The  pallljearers  were  former  Governor  Lee  Cruce, 
C.  F.  Colcord,  A.  H.  Classen,  Frank  J.  Wikoff  and  Charles 
West. 

Organization  of  the  Emi>loyers  Association  of  Oklahoma 
was  formed  on  February  4th.  AuKjng  members  of  the  first 
board  ot  directors  were  Frank  Foltz,  Dorset  Carter,  Biinu 
Booth  and  C.  H.  Anderson  of  Oklahoma  City. 

On  February  2J:th,  Elmer  E.  Brown  was  reelected  secre- 
tary of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  resigned  later  in  the 
year  and  was  succeeded  by  Leroy  Gibl)s  of  Sioux  Falls,  S.  D. 

Judge  Samuel  Hooker,  formerly  county  judge  and  later 
assistant  comity  attorney,  was  on  January  5th  appointed  by 
Governor  "Williams  as  a  meml)er  of  the  Supreme  Court  Com- 
mission. 

The  Lakeside  Country  Clul)  was  organized  June  7th  and 
incorporated  by  S.  H.  Ingham.  C.  S.  Burton,  and  G.  Misch. 
Its  membership  was  to  lie  limited  to  7)00.  It  planned  construc- 
tion of  a  $10,000  clul)  house  near  the  city  lake  and  laying  out 
an  eighteen-hole  golf  course. 

John  A.  Whiteford  of  St.  .Jo.-eiih.  Mo.,  was  on  June  2C)th 
elected  superintendent  of  scliooN  to  succeed  (iu\-  V.  Buchanan. 

The  Oklahoma  Railway  Cuinpany  updated  its  tirst  inter- 
urban  car  to  Guthrie  on  July  lltli.  Ai-companying  officials 
of  the  company  on  the  initial  trip  were  Jack  J.oxc.  chaiiinan 
of  the  Corporation  Commissiuu.  represeiitin-^-  the  statt'.  and 
City  Commissioner  J.  T.  lli-hley. 

John  Embry  rt^si-ned  as  county  attorney  iluring  the  year 
to  return  to  the  pi-ivate  pra<-tice  and  was  succeeded  by  Charles 
B.  Selby. 

Edgar  S.  Vanght  was  born  in  Wythe  Cdunty,  in  Sdiith- 
we.stern  Virginia,  in  1^7:!.  Hi-  ance<toi-s  were  fmni  Holland. 
and  found  homes  among  the  pioneers  of  the  noted  niuuntain 


-ui.j  >ii!t  U:  i)'ri    '.■  !:'i.';j  ;   jI  afil 

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424  THE  STORY  OF  OKLAHOMA  CITY 

district  of  Wt'Steiii  Mryiiiia  and  Eastern  Kentucky  and  Ten- 
nessee. He  graduated  fruni  the  C'arson-Xewnian  College  of 
Jefferson  City  with  tlie  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  in  1899. 
In  the  meantime  he  had  also  attended  the  Emory  c^-  Henry 
College  of  ^'irginia.  In  189G  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
county  superintendent  of  schools  of  Jefferson  County,  Ten- 
nessee, was  reelected  inr  the  two  succeeding  terms,  and  at  the 
same  tune  was  carrying  on  studies  in  Carson-Xewman  College 
and  was  also  equipping  himself  for  law.  He  was  adnutted  to 
the  har  at  Dandridge.  Temiessee,  in  1898.  and  had  some  ex- 
jK'rience  as  a  lawyei'  in  Dandridge  l)efore  coming  to  Okla- 
homa. 

In  1901  :\[r.  A'aught  came  to  Oklalioma  City  to  accept  the 
post  of  i)i'inciijal  of  the  city  high  schnols.  In  less  than  a  year 
he  was  made  superintendent  of  the  Oklahoma  Cit\'  schools. 
His  services  atti-acted  the  attention  of  the  territorial  govern- 
ment of  Oklahoma,  as  coiucident  with  his  service  as  city  school 
supcrintoident  lie  was  from  1902  to  190G  a  memljer  of  the 
tei'ritoi-ial  l)oard  of  education.  In  ]May,  1907,  (iovernoi' 
Frantz  a]ipoiuted  him  a  member  of  the  hoard  of  regents  of 
tile  territorial  normal  sdiools.  three  in  number,  and  his  mem- 
bership on  that  board  was  tcrmiiuited  l)y  the  entrance  of  (Jkla- 
hoiiia  into  the  Cnioii  on  Xovemlier  IG.  1907. 

In  190(i.  after  severing  liis  active  relations  with  the  public 
schools  of  Oklahoma  City.  ^Er.  Vaught  formed  a  law  })artuer- 
sliip  witli  Jolin  E.  l)u]\lars  and  Sanuiel  A.  Calhoun,  under 
the  tinii  name  <d'  Du:\lars,  Vaught  iS:  ('alhoun.  In  1907  the 
hrni  l)ecame  DuATars  c\:  Vaught.  continuing  as  such  until  1912. 
when  it  was  dissolved.  At  that  time  ^Ir.  Vaught  became 
associated  with  James  TI.  Ready,  making  tlie  firm  Vaught  eV: 
Ready.  Eater  the  style  of  the  firm  was  Everest.  A'anght  t<: 
l>rewer. 


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